One of The Lives (Shadow Poem)

Corey Goynes

September 11, 2008

Period 4

Digital Composition

One of the Lives

(Shadow Poem)

If he had not been raised in Louisiana

And if he had not left home the day he graduated

Then he would not have found a job in Texas cutting horses

And if he had not gotten the job on that particular farm

He wouldn’t have met her

And if she hadn’t been a babysitter

If she hadn’t been watching the child of the owner of that farm

She wouldn’t have met them

And if he hadn’t asked her out on a date

Or she wouldn’t have taught him the gospel

They wouldn’t have gotten married

And if they wouldn’t have gotten married

Then I wouldn’t have been conceived in a city where Blue Bell ice cream is made

Nor would I have learned to love the heat from the sun

And if he wouldn’t have joined the Air Force

Only to get out after four years in order to co-manage a Little Caesar’s Pizza store

Which led to little success and not enough money to support a family

Furthermore leading him to rejoin the Air Force after a year because of its benefits

Then I would not have seen most of the 50 United States and Japan

Nor would I have made countless numbers of friends whom I played with for hours

And I wouldn’t be where I am today in Alaska

But if they hadn’t decided to move out to Eagle River

Because the houses were cheaper and the school looked better

And if she hadn’t made me look and look forever until I found a good job

And he hadn’t paid for a car which I needed to use in order to get to that job

Then I wouldn’t enjoy a paycheck every two weeks.

And if I didn’t have that paycheck

I wouldn’t be able to drive to Dimond every weekend too see her

The one that I care about the most

And if I wouldn’t have gone to summer camp last summer

I would have never met that special girl

I wouldn’t enjoy talking for countless hours about nothing

Laughing countless times for no good reason

Saying “I Love You” countless times because I mean it

Nor would I enjoy my life as much as I do now!