That's a Jayhawk on Their Shirt

This is not exactly a Christmas poem but it is a family poem and family is a pretty big part of Christmas

THAT’S A JAYHAWK ON THEIR SHIRT
By Donald D. Davis

I think I was about 3 or so, my very first memory
Of my father pulling his favorite chair in front of the TV
And mommy told me not to bother daddy with any noise
She told me to go up to my room, play quietly with my toys
But daddy was my buddy and I just couldn’t see
Why he would rather watch some show than play with lil’ ol me
So I marched right up and said “Let’s play”. And much to my surprise
He said he couldn’t play right then as he looked me in the eyes
He said this was a special day the start of basketball season
But that really didn’t seem to me to be a very good reason
I said “I want to play with you, I think we should play chase.”
He told me “Please son, not right now, later we’ll play race.”
So I moped into the other room still not understanding
And I decided that I needed to be a little more demanding
It’s not that I was trying, to stir up some dissension
It’s just that I really wanted to monopolize his attention
So I sidled up beside him and I tugged upon his arm
“What’s that funny little birdie daddy?”, I asked with all my charm
A smile spread across his face as he pulled me to his knee
Then he hugged me hard and kissed my cheek and said, “You’re about to see.”
I snuggled up and nestled in as my daddy hugged me tight
And we sat there for several hours on that very special night
We watched those special players with names like Koenigs and King
And when the game was over he said “there’s one more thing”
Then he called me by my nickname, he said, “Always remember Squirt,
When they ask what that bird is tell ‘em THAT’S A JAYHAWK ON THEIR SHIRT!”

Well that started a tradition every couple days or so
My daddy and I would snuggle up with the TV all aglow
We’d sit and watch together ‘til the Rock Chalk Chant was heard
Then we’d rustle up to bed while no one said a word
And even though it just might seem like it was just a game
When I was on my daddy’s lap it wasn’t quite the same.
He’d hug me tight and cover my ears as he’d rue the referees call
Than he’d explain to me in great detail the rules of basketball
He loved those silly Jayhawks but he loved me so much more
And we never failed to miss a game as together we’d explore
The great tradition of KU hoops I loved to hear him tell
About the players from the past he knew them all so well
My daddy was a great great man even though he had not riches
He always told us funny jokes and kept us all in stitches
Our house was never fancy or filled with fancy stuff
We never drove in fancy cars but we always had enough
In fact I’d go as far as this to say we were quite wealthy
Cause mom and dad were so in love and all of us were healthy
And nothing in the world compared or provided as much comfort
As sitting upon daddy’s lap when the Jayhawks took the court
And to hear him say after every game, he’d say, “Always remember Squirt
When they ask what that bird is tell ‘em THAT’S A JAYHAWK ON THEIR SHIRT!”

Well years have come and years have gone and I thank the Lord above
That while I grew beyond my daddy’s lap I never grew beyond his love
When college came we cried and hugged as I marched off to old KU
Fulfilling dreams my father had that were now all coming true
He called me once or twice a week we joked and laughed and cried
As I’d tell him all about my life as a college man he tried
To keep me always up and up as stress would get me down
And as often as his job allowed he’d come to Lawrence town
We’d go to Allen Fieldhouse to see the Jayhawks on home floor
And I can still remember how I’d sit and watch him and adore
That despite the lack of money and the fight to make ends meet
My daddy always made me feel like I was so elite
Like someone very special and important in his eyes
And he would get excited as he’d bring home some surprise
And the very simple pleasure that brought him so much joy
To sit and watch his Jayhawks with his special little boy
And that special little gleam he got when he’d say to me, “Remember Squirt
When they ask what that bird is tell ‘em THAT’S A JAYHAWK ON THEIR SHIRT!”

But now those days are over his Rock Chalk is no more
My daddy passed away last year no longer to keep score
He’s gone to be with Jesus where he’s happy there’s no doubt
Because he used to tell how Jesus loves the Jayhawks out and out
So you can imagine how I felt as I sat down to see
The Jayhawk season tip-off on my new big screen TV
I pulled up dad’s recliner it was faded old and worn
But I couldn’t bare to part with it no matter how badly torn
My wife had warned my little boy to go outside to play
Because daddy has a special game so don’t bother him today
But like his father years ago he did not understand
So he came into the TV room and took me by the hand
His eyes lit up as he saw the screen and he said the magic word
“Daddy what do people call that funny little bird?”
With teary eyes I scooped him up and hugged him very tight
And he sat there on his daddy’s lap on that very special night.
And you know the rest when the game was done I said, “Now always remember Squirt,
When they ask what that bird is tell ‘em THAT’S A JAYHAWK ON THEIR SHIRT!”