An Ode to Walter James Stevens
April 12, 1942

A Brother

What is a brother,
Why everyone knows
They pull your hair
And tickle your toes...

They tease you
They please you
They teach you to swim
In Aroostook River waters
That bloodsuckers live in...

They grow overnight
And are tall and lean
They run like the wind
And are never mean...

They love chasing girls
With black hair all in curls
They learn all the love words
And speak them in
Very poor French...

They graduate high school
And leave overnight
To train for the Army
And fight the good fight...

Then the Army discovers
More about you
You were smart! You were gifted!
Something we always knew...

Vietnam, Germany and India too
We never knew
In what part of the world
We could find you...

Every so often memories of
The Great State of Maine
Would haunt you & tease you
And you'd come home once again...

Then a dark eyed girl found you
And tamed your wild heart
And thru all these years
You were never to part...

So, what is a brother
Well, I think I know
Because YOU are my brother
And I love you so!!!!

M. Stevens-David