A Children's Poem by Daniel Gauss: The Day the Ants Applauded Me in Balloons Lit Journal

"The Day the Ants Applauded Me" reflects a powerful and empowering message, especially for children: we have the ability to choose how we feel. In this poem, the person telling the story can either feel grief or joy. 

Emotions, while real and sometimes overwhelming, are not always uncontrollable forces. We can influence how we respond and even which feelings we nurture.

This gentle, thoughtful poem introduces children to the idea that emotions are like visitors—they come and go, but we can decide which ones to invite in and spend time with. 

It uses simple, vivid imagery to show that even sadness and anger can be understood, acknowledged, and then released. The poem offers young readers a sense of agency over their emotional lives in a comforting, nonjudgmental way.

Please read the poem here: The Day the Ants Applauded Me