Justin's Garden

A Family of Friends

You'll find there's a family of friends living here,
A small group of minds, and of hearts:
With some of us clever and some of us not,
At times you can't tell us apart.
There's one who is cranky and
one who is shy,
And one who is really uncouth:
And just when you think you've discovered who's who,
You'll really uncover the truth.
The truth that we're all just a little of each,
A group of imperfects are we.
And sometimes I might criticize them to you,
But don't ever knock them to me.
'Cause the one thing that ties us together for life,
No matter how far we're apart,
Is love for each other, a family of friends,
A small group of minds, and of hearts
._._._._._._._._._.

The Big Brother
He did not notice you at first,
Too busy getting on with his work,
Making mud pies and finding worms,
Doing the things little boy's do,

Tiny hands and feet, nappies and bottom's.
As months passed by you became his "friend",
You'd giggle at the fun he'd make,
He'd rock your pram when you'd cry,

Soon you were both inseparable,
Hours washing toys in the garden,
Sharing the cloth and the suds,
sneaking off to play with friends,
Backing each other up when correction came,

Shoes and clothes covered in mud,
"Sure we were just having some fun".
Holidays spent in Strangford,
Hours of fun at the Lough,
Crab fishing with nets,

Visiting places of interest
From Dublin to Canada to Florida,
Disney World, Sea World and Epcot,
Cycle's through the Garden of Ireland,
Up the roughest of hill's you did climb,
Slagging, encouraging, egging on,
Until coming over the crest,
Freewheeling down hill was the best,

Brothers, friends, room mates,
The best there could ever be,
Through the rough and the smooth,
You were there for each other,
Like a wonderful harmony.

The warmth keeps glowing
Love keeps on growing,
He will always be your big brother,
No one knew him like you,
No one can take the memories away
From Mam 1996
._._._._._._._._._.

Big Sister and Brother

You were three when he was born
Wanting to be the big girl
No more bottles at bedtime
Getting dressed on your own.

You were in awe of your little brother
You'd sit in bed in the morning
The two of you and the Golly
Playing games of imagination
You were the mother,
He was the baby
Or you were the Nurse
And he the patient

You started school when you were four
School bag, homework, pencils and paper,
He missed you when you were gone,
Did not want to go visiting without you

From the very moment you were told
"The baby is a boy"
You were good together
And sometimes quite naughty
But those times will be treasured forever

He will always be you brother
Watching and caring for you

From Mam 1996

Writing helps heal the heart