The Jelly Bean Sonnet

Cousin Jelly Bean was my mother’s friend
She’s the oldest of our generation
We played at the Cottage ’til summer’s end
At a time War consumed our Nation

She went with Nels to the Land of Sheba
To teach the children of that ancient Race
Reading and numbers; stars and Amoeba;
Those kids are now the leaders in that Place

In Stillwater they bought a big house
And raised in it four really smart children
They grew up and moved everywhere but Laos
And gave Bev and Nels many grandchildren

Matriarch of our Bunch she is, you see
Prob’ly won’t slow down ’til she’s one-oh-three!