Every person was in the picture
My cousins, my aunts
My uncles, my parents
My sisters, two dogs
And, most importantly, my grandmother.
She was a stout woman:
Not too tall, not too short,
Wearing her favorite shirt.
We had to lure the dogs out of the picture
Because they kept barking
And they might tear at my Me-Me’s
Prized possession.

I was only twelve
And dressed in my church clothes.
Not casual, but not dressy
Like everyone else.
This gathering was for what every gathering at
My grandmother’s house was:
Eating.

The delicious barbecue was ruminating on the pit.
We could all taste
The delicious pork and chicken,
But the picture had to be taken before
Baby Travis spilled food on his nice shirt.

As everyone huddled close to the edge of the pool,
We smiled for the camera,
Somewhat smooshed together,
With my grandmother,
Goldie Ann Comeaux,
Sitting in the front and center
On the side of the diving board.

She held this gathering
Because she was about to have surgery
Done on her heart.
In a couple of weeks,
She would go to the doctor,
But come back broken-hearted.

This is the last picture of
Goldie Ann Comeaux.

Andrew Markel
2nd place 7th & 8th Grades
LA Writes! 2010
Paul Breaux Middle School
Lafayette, LA

Used with permission of LA Writes!