Lucille Reineger (Dixie) Willson (1890 – 1974) was an author and screenwriter. One of her brothers was Meredith Willson, composer of the hit musical, The Music Man. Dixie wrote many children’s books, short stories, and poems during the course of her life. Many variations of this poem can be found in print (supposedly it began life as a birthday card), and an array of purported authors—ranging from Bing Crosby’s wife, Dixie Lee, to John Lennon!—has been suggested through the years. Our research tends to make us believe that this is the original poem and that Dixie Willson is, indeed, the author.