Contributor: Amanda Phang

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I used to be
a lonely child
since mom and dad
were always busy.

I was left with some toys,
a few coloring books,
and stuffed animals
that were all fuzzy.

But one day they came home
with a tiny person
and they announced,
“This is Baby Annette!”

I was confused;
we already had a fish.
Why did they bring
another pet?

I later understood
that she wasn’t just
another fish
of a different breed.

I helped her walk
I helped her read
and soon she grew
to look a lot like me.

Now “Baby Annie,”
which is what we still call her,
is no longer
a baby anymore.

And after all these years
of her being my companion,
my best friend,
I love her forevermore.


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