April's Child

Janie was the third child
But no surprise,
Except that she was born
On April Fool's
With two front teeth.

Her Irish parents,
Who love music,
Spotted talent in
Their daughters
And nourished it.

They bought a used piano and,
At a sacrifice,
Made sure Janie, Alice and Mabel took
Lessons in piano, singing,
And the violin.

Aprils' child played once
With a symphony orchestra.
But her mother didn't agree
To let her pursue
What she called, "An unladylike career."

Janie still sang in church
And played the organ there.
She also played the piano
For her own pleasure
And that of her family.

When the strings of her violin
Became broken,
Oddly enough, they were never replaced.
And her children
Never heard her play that violin.

But they did hear April's child brag
Shortly before she died:
"I still have all my teeth, even the ones
That replaced the two
That I was born with."

Mary S. Palmer
4/1/12