Bob McKenty

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Thomas Edison
While peers were playing blindman’s buff,
Tommy kept inventing stuff.
(His light bulb would forever be a
Symbol of a bright idea.)

J. Edgar Hoover
Little Edgar was all ears,
Collecting dirt on all his peers—
A lifelong practice he’d pursue.
(Collecting dirt’s what Hoovers do.)

George Patton
“Cowboy” Georgie played with pride,
Holstered six-guns at his side.
Then—pistol-packin’, tall-in-stirrup—
Liberated Western Europe.

Abraham Lincoln
Sans writing paper, young Abe copes
By using backs of envelopes,
A habit he will not reverse.
(At least it keeps his speeches terse.)

Emily Dickinson
Reclusive little Emily
Was much too serious for me.
Blessed with a double-dactyl name,
She never wrote one. What a shame!

Jackie Robinson
Little Jackie, with quick hands,
Filched some fruit from local stands.
Those petty thefts could not compete
With what he’d pilfer with his feet.

Joe McCarthy
Little Joe, Wisconsinite,
Saw things all as black or white.
No problem—till the dunderhead
Started seeing red instead.

Madelyn Murray O’Hair
Little Maddie, atheist,
Shook at “God” an angry fist;
Learned—at death—she’d not been scammed.
“There is a God. Well, I’ll be damned!”

Bob McKenty thought it would be fun writing “Little Willies” about real people. It also proved addictive.