COUSIN PAT

COUSIN PAT

by Mary Louise Watt

He was in the first wave

On the beach

Of mainland Italy, Sept. 3rd, 1943.

It was the successful invasion

Of Sicily.  Sadly he died

There his buddies trying to reach!

So sad for our family.

He worked, put his twin

Larry through college. 

We dearly loved him so.

His turn would be next

Now he could not go.

Two years after

That long world war two

We got back a Christmas package.

He never saw, it’s true.

A very stale Chocolate cake,

Wrapped presents for him to view.

When their mother

Aunt Bea passed away

Gramma raised the children.

The twins, little John, sister Ann. 

Father was a vet in the Army

In a foreign land.

When I was four 

On my birthday a package came.

Two big holes for peeking.

Looking in saw two big eyes.

I heard a whimper!  Oh boy, 

A doggie!  Something I was seeking.

From my uncle the vet.

Note inside said that

Beagles were best for children.

Named the puppy Sikes

For we lived in Sikeston then.

He romped after us on bikes.

I loved my doggie so:

Then one day we had to go away,

 So we left him with a neighbor.

When we came back for him

They said he had run away.

I found him in a closet dim!

We had moved to

Kansas City where

My daddy owned a store.

 One night he took

Me in his store,  gave me

A huge cookie, book to look.

We lived at 1313 E.Thirteenth street.

On the big sun porch my mother

Taught me to read, write, spell.

I got in trouble in school

Because the teacher said

I answered every question too well.