Sam Baffione

I was born in a small Italian town,
Everyone knew everyone.
I went into the army,
Immediately I got sent to North Africa.
While I was serving there,
After I encountered the enemy,
I lost my damn gun.
Instead of paying for that gun,
I took a boat to America.
After a year working in Kansas,
I sent for my wife in Italy.
I loved her dearly.
When prohibition came,
My bathtub somehow had moonshine in it.
I had to take my wife and our things east.
We ended up in Benld, Illinois,
That was where the mines were,
That is where I'm buried now.
I raised my family in that little town.
I traveled from Italy to North Africa to Benld,
All because of my damn gun.
I thank God every day for that gun.

Patrick Manning