The Stamp Collection

My Aunt Dofeen was the culprit
Who got me involved
In stamp collecting
Back when I was about
Seven or eight years old.
It was an old collection
That she gave to me,
And I dutifully added to it
For quite a number of years.
I spent many happy hours
Working with that collection.
I would go through phases
Where I would concentrate for a while
On US commemoratives
Then switch over to stamps of Italy
Spain, Germany or the Vatican.
I especially liked the stamps of Laos
Thailand and the Soviet Union.
At one point I bought a collection
Of more than 30,000 different stamps
Which got added to the pile.
There was a period when I spent
Nearly every penny I had
Enlarging my collection.
As time went on
I got interested in other things,
But whenever I got a chance,
I would still dump a few more in.
As I traveled through various countries
I also added their stamps
To my collection,
Building a legacy that someday
Will be passed on
As it was passed on to me
So many years ago.
I don’t think any of my kids
Are all that interested
In that old stamp collection
But some day
One of their kids
Just might be!
I smile to think
What a treasure they will find.