Our Sandy Surprise

We had to write a hundred words
About vacation fun.
The teacher told me afterwards
I hit a hole in one.

My story wasn't humorous,
Although it was the truth.
In fact, my classmates numerous
Had faced this in their youth.

So here's the story, as it were;
A family memory true.
Though reminiscences may blur,
This tale is still on cue.

My clan vacationed on the Cape;
We frolicked in the sea.
We all enjoyed our great escape
And our own company.

The older folks relaxed in shade
With poker and with bridge,
While aunts and uncles had it made,
Refreshments in the fridge.

The cousins, one at every age,
Were leaping like baboons,
Till we discovered, in rampage,
What grew there in the dunes.

We'd been instructed to stay close,
At least in shouting range,
But we were kids, and as that goes,
Our spirits made us strange.

A rousing round of "Kick the Can"
Had sent us up the hill.
The game began, and we outran
The counter, cousin Phil.

A fair half dozen of us hid
While crouching in the reeds.
And yet, it seems, we overdid
Exposure to the weeds.

First Jody itched, then Bobby twitched,
And Sam grew very pale.
Then Mel and Mitch, who just got hitched,
Described it in detail.

So, suddenly, we leapt to go
And lumbered toward the group
With poison ivy, head to toe,
A sheepish, scratching troop.

Our parents held a pow-wow there,
Agreeing we had learned.
With no more repercussions fair,
Our tide had clearly turned.

We all looked fine in calamine
For supper with our kin.
Without a whine, we toed the line,
Foregoing discipline.

And to this day, we don't forget;
Our pasts can be our guides.
We still recall with much regret
When ivy tanned our hides!

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