A Girl named Gem

My mother passed when I was born

Dad says was the best and worst of all his morns

He looked at me and said this is not a him

So he decided instead of James to call me Gem

He taught me to hunt, fish, shoot, trap

Told me I should never take any crap

I grew up running wild in the forest and hills

Not for me those girly frills

No lacey dresses or Barbie dolls

Not comfortable inside four walls

On my tenth birthday I got a rifle

Spent the day on target practice vital

Most boys at school looked at me askance

Those that even gave me a second glance

Eyed my ripped jeans, tees and sneakers

Which didn’t jive with those girly seekers

The other girls whispered behind hands and backs

Teachers said mothering was what I lacked

But this girl named Gem is self sufficient and strong

Don’t need nobody to say I’m wrong

I’ll outfish, outhunt, outrun and outboy

Most of those jocks with their silly toys

Then came that time when guys started to be of interest

One especially… how to win his trust?

So I asked dad to buy me a dress

He said, “For what? I really can’t guess…”

So I reminded him I truly was still a girl

Despite being raised in his man’s world

When I went back to school the looks were shocked

But the boys sure noticed, even the jocks

When Tim asked me to the school dance

My heart soared at his shy glance

Dad didn’t bother to be cleaning his gun

When Tim picked me up he just said to have fun

For he knew I could take care of myself

As he eyed the sharpshooting trophies on the shelf

On the day he walked me down the aisle

He said he was sorry for all the while

He should have let me be a young lady as I wasn’t his son

I kissed him and said I loved all that he’d done

He had nothing for which to atone

Now I’m expecting a child of my own

Boy or girl I’ll teach him or her to hunt and shoot

But maybe if a girl just a few dolls next to the hiking boots