He's
Our Brother
Our
mom and dad, they brought him home,
“A
boy!” the doctor called;
“How
precious! He’s our only son,
Oh
look, so nearly bald.”
He
grew – he laughed – the ringlets came,
A
head of hair so gold;
He
talked and walked - the joy to all,
A
determined mind we’re told.
He
had his little birthday parties,
And
Mark and Ricky came;
And
Dennis - Stephen, they were there,
He
smiled and called their names.
They
brought him trucks, all sorts of things,
He
couldn’t wait to get some sand;
To
start the roads, and dump the dirt,
His
busy little hands.
Our
mom would watch – then Dad came home,
The
girls – constant chattering sounds!
And
where was Keith?…
Still
quietly playing, And not a soul around.
“Ok”
Mom said “Pick up your toys.”
“Come
on – inside you go.”
As
he played on with trucks and sand,
Our
brother, Keith said “NO!”
Inside
then, he sweetly came,
But
not because Mom said,
But
just because our brother wanted,
A
thought in his own head.
One
day his little sister died,
Keith,
no longer a big brother;
With
Linda gone, just three of us,
Keith
and sisters older.
We
laughed with him, we joked and played,
And
I could always beat him up and brag;
His
knees would give, I’d pin him down,
And
sit on him – he’d beg….
“MaryLou,
just let me up!”
“I
won’t – I’ll drool on you!”
We’d
laugh so hard, and Mom and Dad,
Would
stifle laughter too.
But
sister Nancy thinks – A disgrace!
“Mom,
can’t you make then mind?
Don’t
laugh at them – teach them things,
Manners…Class…
you’ll find,
If
you teach them all the finer things,
In
life I’m sure they’ll be;
A
lot more decent to have around –
I
mean, just look at me!”
“Let’s
eat now kids – now that’s enough,
Girls,
set the table – some ketchup please.”
We
saw her go with head held high,
Keith
and I laughing to our knees.
“Hurry
Keith, the ketchup bottle,
Put
it on the table;
He’d
plop it down – there – all done!
We’d
sit, and then, when able…
We’d
watch Nancy, she’d grab it quickly,
The
bottle… whisked away;
Oh
well, we’ll just chew with our mouths open,
And
that will make her day!
What’s
this? The doorbell rings,
Who’s
that? There’s someone standing there;
“Ken
and Lou, her name is Rosie,
Can
we leave her in your care?”
Oh
boy! Our brother Keith is thrilled,
He
loved her like no other;
“I’m
happy Mom – she’s cute – huh Dad?”
And
again, I’m a big brother.
Well,
with his friends, he laughed, he loved,
And
they all would come around;
My
mom and dad, they knew each one,
And
sometimes Keith, without a sound…
Would
sit and listen – Mom would talk,
And
Dad would laugh and grin;
“Those
friends of Keith’s, can you believe,
How
much they mean to him.”
To
places Mom and Dad would go,
“Did
you hear? Keith plays today;
He’s
out there now – he’s getting dressed,
And
it’s not that far away.
And
then next week, he’ll play some more,
And
the girls can come to see;
Rosie,
Nance and MaryLou,
How
proud of him they’ll be.
And
they could stay a night or two,
And
Keith will be around ;
And
they’ll all laugh, and maybe later,
They’ll
all go into town.”
Then
times were quieter… and fewer smiles,
And
worries flooded in;
“Of
all the things I want to say…”
Keith
hardly could begin.
But
so much comfort he did find,
Each
day with Mom and Dad;
And
we all cried and hated,
Seeing
him so sad
It
breaks our hearts to think that you,
Died
all alone - were you scared or cold?
We
pray that we were with you then,
In
your mind - your heart - and soul.
So
Keith, on this – your final day,
Please
know you compared to not another;
You
were ours and we so proudly boasted.
“That’s
Keith! YUP, HE’S OUR BROTHER!”
by
MaryLou Dolan
October 6, 1999
