Barney, the Purple Dinosaur
In October, from Russia, Katey and Joe,
came to Florida twenty-five years ago.
Friends and relatives sent gifts of welcome.
Hanukkah and Christmas gifts filled our home!
That January, when Katey turned five,
we agreed that a book was the best gift to give.
On Katey’s birthday, when Papa came home,
the birthday plans all came undone!
When Papa came in, Katey was overjoyed.
Between Papa’s feet was a Barney toy.
From the wheelchair, Barney saw his new place.
A gigantic grin spread over Papa’s face.
Katey kissed Barney’s purple cheek,
and the talking dinosaur began to speak.
In his goofy voice, Barney said, “I love you.”
It was unmistakable, Katey loved him too!
We lost Papa six years later in January,
weeks before Katey’s eleventh birthday.
Barney lived with Katey for twenty-three years.
His demise last year left Katey in tears.
This year, I found on Amazon,
Katey’s Christmas present, a Barney clone!
Barney now lives in Texas, where he’ll say,
“I love you,” to Katey every day.
Copyright© 2020 by Cheryl Batavia
My late husband, Drew, and I adopted Katey and Joe from Russia in October, 1995. We lived in Miami Beach, and Drew, AKA “Papa,” was a very devoted father until his death in January, 2003. Katey now lives near Dallas, Texas with her older sister Ellen, a cat, a dog, and two other roommates. The new Barney, the Purple Dinosaur, just joined the household.
