Proper

If there is only one thing

That truly bugs me

It's my parents naming me Proper

As etched upon my soul

Played endlessly in my mind is …

Sit up Proper

Eat your food Proper

You need to listen Proper

Put the garbage away Proper

Clean up your room Proper

Each Halloween, I always heard

You are in charge of the candy

Make sure you treat all the kids

Proper

On every tax or legal form

I am asked to reconfirm

If the first name is

Proper

I sure have been called

Many names

And none of them

Proper

I knew

I had met my perfect match

When I asked, Hi, who are you?

And she replied with a smile

My name is Prim

And every day we do our best

Living up to our names

To always be Prim and Proper

But you know …

It's been a few years

And we had a child

To whom we say daily

Over and over

Sit up Proper

Eat your food Proper

You need to listen Proper

Put the garbage away Proper

Clean up your room Proper

That is not true …

We called her Jasmine

© 2025 John Osinga. All rights reserved. St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.

Revised 2026.