Billy Ray
It seems so hard to draft a poem about ones self, but I have given it a try. Perhaps this is an autobiographical poem in second person.
Billy Ray
Born in Phillips, Texas, in nineteen hundred and forty three.
Billy Ray was a heavy baby at ten plus pounds you see,
Malelia, his Mom, was glad to drop this very heavy burden,
But she was so very happy as he was so darn good lookin’.
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All through the remainder of World War II, he traveled the USA,
In a baby crib with his Mom and sis in an old model Chevrolet
Following his Dad in the Navy to the next assigned Navy Station.
By the age of two years old, he had seen a lot of our great Nation.
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At three years old, Billy Ray moved near Borger to Philview Camp
The area was quite dirty from soot from the Carbon Black Plant.
It was here his Mom clipped off his finger with the Rocking Chair,
Which panicked his Mom and gave her a very frightening scare.
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Billy Ray moved to Third Street Phillips, Texas, when he was five,
He attended first day of school there, and he was not late to arrive.
With rubber guns, marbles, and YoYos he would often play,
Fun things were not hard to find for this young man called Billy Ray.
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At 10 years old, Billy Ray moved to 13 Stark Street in Phillips town.
Here he lived here until the age of 19, and wore 2 school gowns
Graduating from Phillips High School and Frank Phillips College
These were fun times growing up often on the ragged edge.
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During growing years, Billy spent his summers in Sulphur Springs
Visiting with his dad’s parents and enjoying what vacation brings.
They fished all the lakes in the area and caught lots of large fish
Which his grandmother cooked up into a delicious gourmet dish.
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Billy Ray got into some mischief when he sometimes got bored
There was scavenger hunts for eggs they threw at house doors.
And he caught birds in a bag, and released them in peoples doors.
Fun in cars came next cutting donuts with the gas on the floor.
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Billy Ray graduated from Texas Tech College in Nineteen Sixty Six.
He found an engineers job with Phillips Petroleum as his first pick.
And so began his career as a Process Engineer to make his pay.
A greenhorn he was, but he worked hard learning so he could stay.
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At 25, the United States Army drafted Bill from the manpower pool.
He survived Basic Training and was sent to a Fort Gordon school
Graduating from Avionics school, he was sent to the Viet Nam war,
He served and was discharged so a uniform he wore no more,
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He bought a 1970 Mustang Mach 1 for fun and to chase the ladies.
He honky tonked hard and some thought he was almost crazy.
When he reached the ripe old age thirty, he decided to settle down.
And he dated a lovely young lady named Pam in her home town.
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Billy Ray met Pam, his wife to be, so began his life as a family man,
He bought a house in Arroyo Verde in the country with a little land.
He married Pam, and a beautiful baby named Kristi Lynn arrived.
He loved family life and soon Tamara Ann also blessed their lives.
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While living at Arroyo Verde, they led the Good Life indeed
There was all kinds of good food to eat and a garden to seed.
Billy Ray enjoyed hunting and fishing with game for reward.
And lots of fun with all the family, they never ever got bored.
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After family transfers to Houston, Odessa, and Oklahoma City,
His family settled in Bartlesville and got down to the Nitty Gritty,
They raised the girls and worked hard, and then finally retired,
Now Pam and Billy Ray are doing things they’ve never tried.
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During this time in their busy lives, they got deep into dance.
There was square dancing, clogging, and two stepping at a glance.
Mickey Mouse Gang, Misques, And Rhythm Aces were fun for sure,
And brought lots of friends that were all very fun and so very pure.
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Both his lovely daughters graduated from Oklahoma State,
They have since married with two children each that are great.
Billy Rays extremely proud of all his grandchildren that is true,
He loves to go on outings with them under a clear sky of blue.
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Billy Ray is so thankful for all the things with which he was blessed
His lovely wife and beautiful daughters are at the top of the list.
Family is the most important thing in Billy Rays short time here,
The grandchildren also are at the top, and they will always be there.
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By Bill
Family is what life is all about. Without them, what would you have?
Let’s keep this family thing going and remember all those that came before us too.
thanks for reading Billy Ray,
Bill