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Hot dogs, on a spool

John SimmerlingFebruary 1, 20111 min read
You must be mistaken
red headed young lassie
you got the dates wrong
from your mommy and daddy

You're two days past due
the 31st is much later
then when I first saw you
in that pink incubator

So go tell your brother
our Sonoran-like cook
he can look it all up
in his chemical books

And tell your plump sister
expecting and dizzy
baby T got it wrong
well, we know she's been busy

Your birthday's been ended
two days it's been past us
the baloons are all popped
shrunken and gas-less

but it was fun one, out here in Florida
we had a big cake, a big chocolate torte one
we sang happy birthday and jumped in the pool
and ate birthday bird hot dogs, right from the spool

Happy Birthday Meg!


*****

John Simmerling

Writer, poet, and artist. Exploring family stories, grief, love, and the small moments that shape who we are. Drawings from my mind.

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