Stutter

I am eight and stutter
Over words though I
Find it easy to say my
Cousin’s name "Buster”,
A nickname for Edgar.
I feel like the ugly
Duckling from Hans
Christian Anderson.
My elder sister Penny
Reassures me that
Smart people stutter
Because their mind
Works faster than
Their tongue and all
I have to do is slow
Down my mind so as
Not to trip up my tongue.
My stutter goes away
In part because of my
Big sister’s advice
And in part
Because
I kept
Some thoughts
To myself while
Speaking to
Others.
A lesson
I must relearn
At 72 to not press
Too hard as I am
A bit of a velvet
Covered
Bulldozer.