My Life In Rhyme

I was born in Illinois in March's middle
A Gerberlike babe, one not so little
In two more years I had a new sister and brother
Making five kids for my father and mother
In St. Collette's bells rang and candle burned
In this castle church my first prayers I learned
I did not talk until I was three
For all I pointed at was given to me
Public school held my kindergarten classes
At their end I got my first pair of glasses

When I was six a move to Ohio was fixed
Where with new Sears workers Dad intermixed
Here we got our first pet Sugarfoot
When on our back porch her butt she did put
In grades one and two I went to Catholic school
Where making Sister Gertrude mad wasn't cool
Luckily I had Sister Charles Ann
And Ms. DeFrench, a parish laywoman

After grade two back to Illinois we went
Back to public school I was sent.
Third through sixth grade went just fine
But I found talent for violin wasn't mine
In seventh grade a cheerleader I would be
But this did not set my social life free
For a girl on the squad found me easy to tease
For the next six years she gave me no ease
She and her band of female thugs
Enjoyed giving my emotions many tugs

Before high school my knowledge of death started
When from this world my grandfather parted
In high school, I was the perfect student
Never tardy, always with time prudent
I was an athlete from first year until last
To being an average gymnast I held fast
Being teased made be extremely shy
I was afraid of almost every guy
I had little luck on my five dates
Thought being always alone would be my fate

But, in college, it didn't turn out to be true
Though I didn't know how to act; what to do
By the end of sophomore year many tears I cried
For my three other grandparents also died
And I had also lost my first boyfriend
The relationship had only one end
My junior year I became a frat little sister
Here I met my forever mister
At first we just had lots of fun
Then I realized we would become one

Three years after college on the first of June
Our first dance was to a Buddy Holly tune
My brother took me down the aisle
For by then Dad had been gone awhile
Three years earlier from cancer he did succumb
Twenty-three years later it's what my mom died from
In the beginning we paid off college debt
With money from jobs we could get
As our income and family grew
We move from old flat to house somewhat new

We now have been married twenty-three years
Lived through many hopes and fears
Had two children, worried when they were sick
Hoping the right way in life they would pick
Praying we gave them the right lead
Giving them the knowledge they need
Taking trips with four person family group
Visiting the McLean and Pechter troops
Kimberly in college, she will soon leave the house
Taylor, his night light he just did douse

Now beginning my crisis of midlife
Wonder how much longer I'll be mother and wife
I try to make my body firmer and stronger
So I can last maybe thirty years longer
Hoping when my life reaches its end
At graveside and above I'll see many a friend


dragonpoet