One for Benny on Graduation Day

I remember this picture first
Whenever I think about Baby Benny
Surrounded by Cheerios
In his little blue overalls

And I remember his big brown eyes
That so distressed him for a time
As one little brother after another arrived
With eyes as blue as Deborah’s

He grew up so very fast
(It feels so parental to say so)
But one day he was playing little league
And the next he was coaching Jakey’s baseball team
And now he is all grown up
Or at least he thinks he is
And he is very very funny
And very very smart

And I am looking forward to his future
As he figures out who he wants to be
As he makes grown-up choices with grown-up consequences
He is ready for the challenge

He graduates high school today
And he has skills he has not even begun to realize -
Skills that come from being one of thirteen
From being a Blinn

He is not just a good kid, he is a great one
And I am so proud of who he already is
Independent and ready to take on the world
But still my brown-eyed baby brother

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