ONE WAS JOHNNY

(With all due respect and apologies to Maurice Sendak and Carole King)


One was Johnny



Who lay by himself
While various people stressed over his health

2 was his mom - dead at a young age

3 was his stepdad - who lived in a cage

4 was his father - a liar and crook

5 was the stranger pushing his book

6 was the sister who left him behind

7's the uncle who's losing his mind

8 was the one who is like Clarence Darrow

9 is the aunt who gave Johnny bone marrow

10 was what got poor, sick Johnny thinking:

Who are all these people and what are they drinking?

He stood up in bed and said:
Here's what I'll do - I'll start to
Count backwards
And when I am through
If my room isn't empty, I'll eat
All of you!

9 is the aunt who alerted his pop

8 is the uncle who married a cop

7's the one who hears James in his head

6 is the sis who grabbed Johnny and fled

5 is the guy who wrote down Johnny's tale

4 is the father who spent time in jail

3 is the one who won't leave Johnny's bed

2 is the mom who is still pretty dead

One was Johnny

At last by himself
Who liked it like that!