Main street
Your best friend Pete
The drive-in movie
When things were groovy?
Billy doesn’t
Mr. Patton the math teacher
Sunday dinner with the preacher
The sweet smell of Sally’s perfume
Mother’s flowers in bloom?
Billy doesn’t
The football game
Saturday night dates with your first flame
Mother’s apple pie
Lying on your back looking at the blue sky?
Billy doesn’t
Dad teaching you how to saw a board
Make believe with wooden swords
Pestering your sister with frogs
Your very best dogs?
Billy doesn’t
The swimming hole with your fishing pole
Taking Sally for a stroll
Grandma and Grandpa loving you so
The sound of a crow?
Billy doesn’t
Billy died in Vietnam
A quick explosion from an errant bomb
Maybe he is the wind rustling in the trees
That is how Billy still speaks to me
Billy does remember these
So remember Billy as all of these
And remember him in all you see
For don’t forget Billy and all he was
For he really does,
©David R. Alexander
August 19, 2002
