‘Twas in November of ‘55
All my siblings were already alive.
With Shirley’s birthday on Saturday
And Dad’s on Monday
I squeezed in between them, and was born on a Sunday.

For every birthday until she ceased to bake
Mom made her traditional Angel food cake.
So white and tender with a crispy crust,
A drizzle of frosting was always a must.

No matter the hardship that it might create,
A card with $5 accompanied the cake.
It may not sound like very much,
But it came from her heart, with her Mother’s touch.

So today is number 52
And there’s so much that I wanted to do
Before I reached this time of my life…
Where did the time go? I tried to keep track
I’d do a lot differently if I could go back.

I was planning on accomplishing wonderful things
That would gain the respect of statesmen and kings.
I should solve global warming and make world peace lasting,
But somehow the answers have slipped right on past me.

But now that I’ve had some time to reflect
On what’s most important, on what counts for the best;
Sometimes it’s a smile and the time it would take
To deliver a card, a five, and an Angel food cake.