"Happy Birthday(s), Jessica" by my brother Ted

Ted, me, Tim

       

Yesterday was the 101st day on which I posted a poem [on Poetry and Beyond.]  I was going to stop now, so I could call the whole ensemble “Poetry 101″.  But my sister pointed out that it was her birthday [April 12], and she thought that I owed her a poem.  Actually, since I never  remember birthdays, I owe her dozens.  Here’s one.

For My Sister’s Third Birthday
(66 years late)

                                                                             ***

Brave little troll,
Big rounding eyes,
Hands ever moving,
Then pausing; alright, grab it!

“If she does it, I can do it. If she says it, I’ll say it too.
Maybe if I pretend to cry, I’ll get it.
Oops, I forgot I was pretending, now I’m really sad.

 “There’s something I haven’t touched yet.
    There’s something, I don‘t know what’s in it.
    Wait till everybody’s out of the room,
    Then, very gently, touch it all over.

“Would you do this for me?
Do it again for me.
Oh, I see how he does it  .  .  .
No, keep away, I’ll do it myself!

“Ted is nice to me when I’m naughty, I love him.
Tim is scary sometimes, but he’s funny too, I love him.
But Mummy is always Mummy, so I love Mummy best of all.”