Another Poem in Mom's Memory

This is the poem my brother, Jim, wrote and read at mom's memorial service. As background, Jim and I were sitting with mom in her hospital room two days before she passed away. We were talking in low tones because we thought she was finally resting after being restless for a while. Mom had a saying she would use quite often when we were kids and being a bit -- well, wordy perhaps... :o) She would say, "blow it out your ditty bag". It wasn't until recently I learned that a ditty bag is a bag used by armed forces personnel to carry small items such as sewing implement. Anyway, as we were talking, mom suddenly opened her eyes and said very loudly, "Oh, blow it out your ditty bag!". We, of course, had a good laugh over this and all the memories it evoked. That incident was the inspiration for Jim's poem:

Blow It Out Your Ditty Bag
By Jim Roller

I remember you singing silly songs about
Lonely petunias in an onion patch
And a man named John Jacob Jingle Heimer Schmidt..
Your endless repertoire I’ll never match.

I remember you calling us all home for supper.
With your patented two fingered shrill.
How you made such an incredibly loud whistle
Is one of this life’s top mysteries still.

I remember the amazing basketball cake.
Cut it straight from the middle down you said,
So I did, never expecting what happened next.
It exploded and I pert near dropped dead.

I remember you daily sending us to school
With a prayer my own boys now know by heart.
Let my words and thoughts always please God is its theme.
God’s Word to us you would always impart.

I remember so many other neat things, Mom,
Like scavenger hunts and long games of tag.
But one thing I know I’ll not easily forget;
You saying, "Blow it out your ditty bag."