"while Willy witnessed the war"
[while Willy witnessed war]
- Would not excluding the word 'the' make the phrase that much harder? I believe so!

I must say not only have you done a good job with writing a tongue twister, which I find extremely fun to do and to say, but you have exceeded that boundary and crossed over into a new one. One that makes the poem have a significant meaning. Rather than 'Peter piper picked some peppers" < What meaning does that really have to little kids? But, living life with laughter definitely means something. It means joy, happiness, and outrageous fun. Which is what this poem is. Swell job! (: