My brother Steve was the cutest child ever.
He was younger than me, and I treasured him like a brilliant little pet. He was sweet and shy and peculiar. There never has been, and never will be, a person like him. He is gone from us now, but lives on in our hearts.
When Steve was 5, he submitted a poem to Highlights magazine (a children’s publication), and the whole family was proud and astonished when it was published. I have always loved this poem for its clarity and directness and simplicity. I have been accused of helping to write it, but I will only admit to being an 8-year-old editorial consultant.
The Bee Poem, by Steven Harvell, Age 5
I am a bee, so look at me:
My stripes are yellow and black.
They’re on my head,
And on my neck
They’re even on my back.
For more Steven Harvell memories, you might click here: How Far is Heaven? Remembering Kim-n-Steve