In the annals of our family

there was Aunt Dorothy

the aunt who was the trail boss

of our family you might say

 

she was the mother hen

who kept track of all the family comings & goings

her natural nosiness

meant she knew all that was going on

yet she had a heart of kindness and caring

so that people were drawn to her

for consultation and advice

if you wanted to know what to do

you went to see Aunt Dorothy

 

she was the business partner of the marriage

she ran the husband's business and

you might say, ran the show

in that little town she was the unofficial mayor

and was the town hall

for all the news and gossip

 

people would stop by and visit The Office

to find out what was happening

with marriages, kids, and families

like a presiding judge

she handed out her opinions

sitting behind her large oak desk

 

any relative coming through town

would stop by and see Aunt Dorothy

her house was a motel before there were motels

she was always putting up relatives

and feeding them

with great feasts of greasy but delicious food

southern fried with loads of calories

 

she was a large woman as they say

so fat, folds of flab hung from her arms

appendages that flapped like wings

when she laughed

yet laughter was music to her ears

 

she always enjoyed a joke or funny story

and she thrived on togetherness

always rounding up the family members

like stray cats

and putting them up in her house

she always made room

 

then one day she passed away

and people could not believe

the institution of Aunt Dorothy was no more

the town turned out for the funeral

yet it would never be the same

 

with her passing

the fun dried up

there was no point in going there anymore

 

she's buried there in the town cemetery

now forgotten by the young

but when Aunt Dorothy left us

a great character left the world

and no one has replaced her yet.