My Personal Numerology

We had just one mother but she was a wonder 

Our two parents were creatures of the twenties

My dad, a jazz buff; my mom, a flapper

Three boys in our family

Steven, Peter, and myself

Steven and Peter had the most fun 

Baby Vicki arrived

And then there were four

Our parents showered her with affection 

Her older brothers, overcome by envy 

A total of five in Katja’s family

Her folks, Helen and Buck

Sister Ami, a social worker

Brother David, a marketing guy

And Katja, a Romance Language beauty

My family had six altogether 

Vic and Doris, Dave Steve Peter Vicki

We lived together on the riverbank

Rode our bikes two miles to school

Swam all day long in the summertime

And rough-housed with our Irish setters, Mike and Micki

I spent seven young years in grade school

One year at Boswell, then Washington, the rest 

I walked through snow and ice to Boswell School

Learned to spell words and add numbers in Grade One

These were humongous steps in my life 

Glee club in Grade Four, but I was forbidden to sing out loud

I was captain of the Safety Patrol in Grade Six

Which annoyed all the rest of the boys

Later, a graduate student for eight long years

Social Psychology at the U. of M. 

I finished my classes in three or four years

Flunked one prelim but passed the rest

My dissertation took forever

Identity change in sensitivity training groups

I took a faculty job before finishing up

Then almost got fired for taking too long

This was not the most relaxing time

Katja and I, nine wonderful pets 

Four rabbits, Thumper, Moonbeam and Sunbeam, Blazer

Thumper lived to a ripe old age but

Blazer escaped and Moonbeam and Sunbeam were killed by roaming dogs

We’ve had five dogs in our married life

Heather, our sweet Shepherd puppy, died a tragic death

Our poodle, Jacques, was hit by a lumber truck

Winston, our Bedlington, lived till deaf, blind and demented

And sheepdogs Mike and Duffy were our recent sweethearts

Here are ten things I’ve done at least ten times in the last ten months 

Brushed my teeth, made the coffee, and read the paper

Played Spider Solitaire on the computer

Worked out at the fitness center

Written a poem

Bought Gato Negro Malbec ($4.99) at Clifton Market 

Hiked the Badlands Trail at Miami Whitewater Forest

Had a 5-way at Skyline Chili 

Went to my line dancing class

Friday night movies at the Esquire 

Read Superman and watched Frasier at bedtime