I began writing stories and songs in verse to entertain and educate children while I ran Happy House Childcare in Berkeley, California. I am a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and it was from this organization I won Honorable Mention for High Flying Pat (read the story below on this page). Other children’s stories I’ve written include A Song for the Moon, Lazy Lily, Mary the Sleepy Dragon, Or Maybe a Horse, I Lost My Blanket and two stories about Kendra, a deaf African American girl who goes to school and to the doctor.
High Flying Pat
© 1991 by Leah Goodwin
There once was an airplane named Pat,
Who dreamed and wished as she sat.
I want to fly, fly way up high,
I hate being down,
down here on the ground.
Now whenever she got her chance to fly,
She marveled at how the time would go by.
I love flying up with the clouds in the air,
I’ll never go down to the ground,
way down there.
She glided, she flew,
Through the air, clear and blue,
This was the life that she loved,
it was true.
The people inside
Were so tired of flying,
They yelled and they cried,
That pilot kept trying
To bring Pat the plane down.
But Pat just kept flying around and around.
She said, “I love to fly, way up high
in the sky,
I’ll never go down to the ground,
No not I!”
“We must land!” said the steward.
“Stop this plane now!”
“I can’t,” said the pilot,
“I just don’t know how.”
They pushed all the buttons,
They pulled all the levers.
But Pat was just tickled,
She was smart and so clever.
“The flying is up to me!”
She shouted with glee.
“I love to fly, way up high
in the sky,
I’ll never go down to the ground,
No not I!”
Around and around Pat the plane flew,
Around went the people, the pilot,
and the crew.
Then the pilot looked down
and he suddenly knew
That Pat would soon land
in a minute or two.
Meanwhile young Pat, not sensing a thing,
Kept flying around and she started to sing.
“I love to fly,
way up high in the sky
and I’ll never go down to the ground,
No not I!”
Then right in the middle of her happy song,
Something was happening,
something was wrong.
Pat’s engine was stalling,
the pilot held fast.
At last Pat the airplane had run out of gas.
She couldn’t keep flying up high all around,
Her time was all over, she had to go down.
The pilot carefully steered,
The people all cheered.
When Pat touched the ground,
They were all safe and sound.
Well, Pat the airplane, I am happy to say
Still loves to go flying up high everyday.
But Pat learned the rules
And she keeps them in mind.
They’re easy to live by and easy to find.
Every plane that goes up in the air
Must come down
To help all the people get home
safe and sound.
The End