I Have Three Favorites
Part I
Three TV shows stick in my mind.
Specific memories are hard to find.
There once was a series, long ago.
I would always cry at the end of the show.
“I Remember Mama” was the program's name.
Their family stories set my heart aflame.
Love's influence stays strong in my soul.
Family ties remain love's precious goal.
Part II
Jack La Lane was a “family name.”
It was not a drama or a prize-winning game.
After school each day for many years,
Mother and I exercised to his cheers.
Healthy eating and exercise,
He daily did enthusiastically advise.
Scrunching the face and tensing the mouth
Would keep the sags from going south.
Daily healthful lessons and time with mom,
Soothed my fears; I felt safe and calm.
Those pleasant memories remain to this day.
Jack La Lane helped my family play.
Part III
“Today's Show” co-anchored by Barbara Walters,
Before “Women's Libbers’ and bra-less halters.
Set a successful example for all to see.
Reporting with kindness and harmony.
Her interviews were thoughtful; guests at ease.
I would run home from school, the moments to seize.
She modeled womanhood by success.
Serenely she brought me through personal distress.
My life is quite different than hers ever would be.
She remains a part of my childhood history.
Thoughtful of others, from her, example,
I learned to be strong in a world that is hostile.
Three favorites each different, somehow, the same,
All made an impact upon my life's game.
Sincerity of heart was the common thread.
Caring for others, like them, did in my heart embed.
© July 20, 2011
Dane Smith-Johnsen
Written for Poetry Soup Member Contest: Favorite Television Show/Episode Remembered
Sponsored by: Shani Fassbender
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