Billie Boy With Downs Poem by louis rams

Shocked with what the doctors had found
That their child was born with downs.
I recall when I was young, that
our neighbor had a son.
He was always different from me
But there was something that I could not see.
He was born with downs
But always laughing and joking around.

He had the strength of 2 or 3
Which was amazing to me.
We would always play “ Johnny on the pony”.
There was never anything about him that was phony.
All of us kids wanted him on our team
Because he would not fall and scream.
He could not run as fast as us
But in us he put his trust.
His brother Nicky told us that
He was born that way, and was always
Wanting to joke and play.

He was called BILLIE BOY
And he was our fun and joy.
Billie Boy got sick one day
And no longer had the will to play.
Then to be closer to the hospitals
“ they moved away”.

Now I am much older and I understand
That GOD put him in front of me
Because he had a plan.
That extra chromosome that they have called “21”
Makes them different from you and I.
But they’ll love you till the day they die.

Children with downs can do almost anything
That others can do, just at a slower pace.
But they are not in a hurry or in a race.
But this will have them love you longer
And in them your faith grows stronger.

So Billy Boy where ever you may be
You will always be in my memories.