Did someone scatter cornflakes
All over the ground?
Or some kind of cereal
With a crunchy sound?

When walking on the grass
There's a snap, crackle, and pop,
The dry summer's drought
Just doesn't seem to stop.

Lawns all around
Look about the same,
All turning brown
While waiting for the rain.

August 21, 1993

The frost is always the whitest
On the corn-crib and the barn,
The house is always the quietest
When folks are asleep on the farm,

The locusts and crickets the chirpiest
Though they may not stay in tune,
The darkness is the nightiest
When there is no moon.

Will my heavenly wings be splendid
Will they sparkle like the dew?
Will they be rhinestones and pendants
In my halo all shiny and new?

Will my halo need adjusting
Or will it fit like a glove?
I better get my order in early
To the great shop up above.

Will they likely be tarnished
Smudged, dingy, or singed?
Soiled or possibly rumpled
Without and maybe within?

Might they be too heavy
Or even a little too tight?
I am hoping and I'm praying
They'll fit and be just right.


March 16 1993

She never had a diamond
To grace her small left hand,
No sapphires or anything
Except her plain gold band,

No sparkling jewels of any kind
No precious stones or pearls,
Although she had one ruby
Her fourth straight baby girl,

She must have wanted riches
For 'tis natural to prefer,
But she settled for her babies
Who were shining jewels to her,

The only carats
dad was able to buy
Were on the dinner table,

Food for three square meals as well
So her only rings were the dinner bell.

As the locusts sang in the twilight heat
The Sun no longer baked the city-street,
The lonely last was her to repeat.
August.

Her lonely soul ready to bare
Trying to hide her utter despair,
She wouldn't mind if there were someone to share,
August.

Seeing lovers in the park
Who would hold hands without a care,
She would cry inside, 'It just isn't fair."
In August.


May never comes too soon
June is the month to spoon
July just right for a honeymoon

But August?


July 16 1963

Paths really fascinate me
Guess they always will,
Whether in a clover field
Or up a grassy hill,

Is it curiosity
Or will I ever know?
Why I am filled with wonder
As to where and how far they grow?


September 3 1955

Last night I prayed
Softly, peacefully, and still,
No strain, no grief, no disbelief,
No doubting of His will,

Last night I prayed
Softly for His strength,
Since I am weak.

Then with peace-of-mind
Worries and stress left behind
I quietly fell asleep.

Like a fragile image
That was long ago cast,
Emerging from the recesses
Of the distant past,

A tiny reflection
That once was a gleam,
Of an old memory
From a cherished dream,

Who would know how
When or where?
Only you and the memories
That still linger there.


September 8, 1966

In looking for that someone
To make my life just right,
Hope it won't be like Evangeline
Who will past me in the night,

One that will be just right for me
In size, weight, and height,
I've looked far and waited long
Could they have passed me in the night?

Seven "Wire" girls
One after the other,
Before being blessed
With our baby brother,

Seven "Wire" girls
The first was Elise,
Followed by Annie
Before Margaret made three,

Ruby arrived in the middle
As the case may be,
Not to be left behind
Along came Mimi,

Sweet Stella and Mary
Brought up the rear,
Before the appearance
Of brother D.G. so dear,

All the children
Of Maggie and J.B.,
Now you know as much as me
About our family genealogy.


August 8, 1995

The thirsty earth
Drinks up the rain,
Absorbing it before
It reaches the drain,

Thank you clouds
thank you rain,
Thank you dear God
again and again,

For every drop
That touches the ground
On every rooftop
All over town,

The sweet relief
From summer's heat,
Though short rested
None-the-less sweet!

For making gardens
And flowers grow,
For the cool air, that wasn't there,
Such a short while ago.


July 26 1966

Somethings can touch you deep inside
Can make you want to cry,
Emotions that you can't describe
No matter how hard you try,

The touch of a tiny baby's hand
The fragrance of a flower,
The simplicity of a grain of sand
Or the significance of an hour,

To see the twinkling stars at night
Or taste the fresh homemade pie,
Who needs to question how or when
Who needs to know where or why?

To hear the angelus ring at six
To know that evening is nigh,
We know there's got to be
Somebody bigger than you and I.

That whistling Milkman so long ago
With tunes so happy and gay,
So very little did he know
How well he started my day,

The tinkling bottles
Of milk and cream,
Awoke me each morning
From my dreams,

With happy tunes
From this whistling man,
Brightening the day
Before it began.

I'm snoozing my best in the morning
Along about sun up,
When I hear someone a-callin'
Wake up, it's time to get up,
I lay there stretching and yawning
So nice to stay in bed,
I see the Sun is shining
Over the back woodshed,
Crawling from under the covers
Cheeks so nice and cool,
When the Sun gets over the chickenhouse
It's time to go to school,
Then sometimes
After I am up out of bed,
The moon comes over
The same woodshed,
If I'm still
And quiet as a mouse,
I'm asleep before it reaches
The old tinhouse.

August 2, 1963

What is want,
A craving or desire?
Consuming need
That sets the soul on fire?

To want is to wish
Though it may be greed,
To wish is to want
Or to be in need,

What is desire
Whether it be hers or his?
We may not know what we want
Or what want is,

Unrequited longing
That seems to smother,
We've all had it in some form
One way or another.

Feet,
Wherever thou goest today,
Whether it's near
Or far away,

This I'll say
For this I know,
Whither thou goest
I will go,

This I beseech thee
This I pray,
Whither thou goest
Don't leave me astray.