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.
