He wrote a poem

Once on a yellow sheet of paper with green lines
He wrote a poem
And he called it "Chops"
Because that was the name of his dog
And thats what it was all about
And hes teacher gave him an A+
And a gold star
And hes mother put it on the kitchen door
And read it to hes aunts
That was the year Father Tracy
Took all the kids to the zoo
And he let us sing on the bus
And hes little sister was born
With tiny toenails and no hair
And hes mother and father kissed a lot
And the girl around the corner sent him
A Valentine card with a row of X's
And hes father always tucked him in at night
And was always there to do it

Once on a white piece of paper with blue lines
He wrote a poem
And he called it "Autumn"
Because that was what it was all about
And his teacher gave him an A-
And told him to write more clearly
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
Because of its new paint
And the kids told him
That Father Tracy smoked cigars
And left the butts on the pews
And sometimes they would burn holes
That was the year his sister got glasses
With thick lenses and black frames
And the girl around the corner laughed
When he asked to go see Santa Clause
And the kids told him
Why his mom and dad kissed a lot
And hes father never tucked him in at night
And his father got mad
When he cried for him to do it

Once on a paper torn from his notebook
He wrote a poem
And he called it "Innocence in a Question"
Because that was a question about his girl
And that's what it was all about
And his professor gave him an A
And a strange, steady look
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
Because he never showed her
That was the year Father Tracy died
And he forgot how the end of the Apostle's Creed want
And he caught hes sister
Making out on the back porch
And his mother and father never kissed
And the girl around the corner wore too much makeup
That made him cough when he kissed her
But he did it anyway
Because that was the theing to do
And at 3 a.m. he tucked himself into bed
And his father snored loudly

That's why on the back of a brown paper bag
He tried another poem
And he called it "Absolutely Nothing"
Because that's what's it was really all about
And he gave himself an A+
And a slash on each damn wrist
And he hung it on the bathroom door
Because this time he didn't think he could reach the kitchen