To Lena, on your birthday...

Little sister, come and play
On this beautiful, Spring day
Calling names and starting scraps
Walking by the railroad tracks

Sharing secrets, peeking at boys
Fixing the little ones' broken toys
Old enough to go to school
Trying to follow the Golden Rule

Brushing our hair and letting it grow
Mother teaching us how to sew
Doing homework; sharing chores
Hurrying up to go outdoors

Singing together; learning to dance
Making fudge at every chance
Christmas plays and jumping rope
Writing diaries full of hope

Making wishes; dreaming dreams
Heads so full of girlish schemes
Trying to be Daddy's favorite girl
Grabbing his hands and 'round him whirl

Jumping, splashing in the creek
Slurping melons that we'd sneak
Leafing through the catalog
Going to Butler's in the fog

Riding the train to Williamson
Trying Mother’s jewelry on
Eating fritters that we fried
Rocking the baby when it cried

Gathering walnuts in the Fall
Scurrying to find the most of all
Trick or Treating on Halloween
Swinging with Cheryl sitting in between

Sneaking Mother's grown-up tales
Being switched amid our wails
Smoking a corn silk cigarette
Barfing as our bodies sweat

Growing up and moving away
Husbands and children held our sway
Seeing each other occasionally
Not as close as we used to be

Never thinking you would go away
Shattering our world that fateful day
Leaving a spot of emptiness
That once was filled with happiness

Little sister, born in Spring
Dwelling now where angels sing
One day, with you again I'll be
Sisters throughout eternity

Kathleen McCoy Eldridge©
March 20, 2008
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