"TRICKY"

From Dad/Christmas - 1996

It’s time you got a poem - For you’ve really done quite well

In creating yourself a life - Your story I must tell

When small, we’d call you Bossy - Which made you oh so mad

But you nurtured and molded it - Into a talent, which ain’t so bad!!

Now you’re a leader of people - Who come to you for advice

Tamara, is this correct - Though harried, you remain nice

In this world of many non-workers - You’ve risen above the norm

You’ve kept your ethics and struggled - And weathered many a storm!!

For a mere child under thirty - Your experience could fill a vault

You’ve done what you thought was right - And accepted any fault

You’ve worked hard to help your brother - And that struggle could fill a book

But the biggest lesson of all - Is to have given more than you took!!

And if your life continues - As it has up to now

I see you as a mentor - In showing others how

For in this world we travel - The lessons that we learn

Sometimes seem hard to swallow - And for the easy life, we yearn!!

I’m convinced, dear daughter - That the easier, one’s life

The less that we’ve contributed - In helping others, with their strife

And that’s how we’ll be judged - When all is said and done

But you’ll score high, my Tricky - Before they sound the final gun!!

Now how did you get that name - By which you’ve always been known

Tricky, you don’t remember - Since now you’re fully grown

We’d take you to the drive-inn - With movies on the screen

So poor, we’d bring our own popcorn - Times back then were lean!!

You’d reach your little hand in - And take a kernel or two

And somehow, put the seeds back in - But we couldn’t catch you

And that’s when I coined the phrase - "You Tricky Little Crow"

You laughed and said "I’m Tricky" - That’s your story, don’t you know!!