Gloria, generous Geisha kitty was taught to be demure
She was not a whiner, barely issued whimper or purr
Wore flowers in her hair, her room was subtly perfumed
She held court in there, teaching tricks to those about to be groomed
She taught me too, granddaddy told his young grandson Might.
She’s rather long in the teeth now, though, isn’t that right?
That Gloria’s age had been mentioned was shocking to some cats.
Gloria’s children heard it and said “but she still catches rats.”
the sly old witch crept down to the bog
hoping to get some legs of an unsuspecting frog
the frog she found was granddaddy, wise and smart
getting the best of old witches was his favorite art
He slapped her into quicksand really quick
that frog was intelligent, his dendrites thick
He said never come back if I let you out
She was released shortly and gave an enormous shout
Ran from the bog and never came back, never never
Told the tale to no one, for it made her sound less clever
But from that day on the bog frogs were totally safe forever
From the old witch and her relatives, they came back never.
In a land so far away,
Lost in dreams of other days.
A young man looks out over this vast land,
He thinks of all here before him and understands.
Understands the pride, the promise, the essence of what has to be,
He has known for sometime was part of this family's history.
The young girl he had loved from so long ago,
Has grown into the woman who has captured his heart and his soul'
Together against all the will find their place in this family's history
They will keep the promise to her granddaddy,
The promise to make the Yellowstone part of Montana's history
I am the granddaddy of this tree line
Used to be the strongest, mightiest evergreen here
The others sprung up renegade, one by one
Now I am but a stump of my former glory.
I guess this happens in old age.
I am the most sought after, however
When people come to wait for rides.
I am the only place to sit.
The winters are balmier now,
Today we have snow, which I love
But only a dusting.
I am disappointed that the highway is clear
It is a lot more exciting when cars are stuck or crashing.
Lots of action, tow trucks, police cars,
Sometimes an ambulance with red lights.
Nothing much to do these days but watch
So here I sit, listening to the my great grandchildren
Speaking of me in whispered ways
They think I am senile, too old to hear
My hearing is that of a dog.
I could howl if I wanted,
but I choose to sit here listening,
flicking them out of my will one by one.
Memories are just that.
O how I wish Grandmama were making her fruitcake.
Standing alongside the entire time
With the understanding the mixing bowl was mine for the taking.
All year she would save all her dimes.
So many she could buy Christmas she could buy presents for everyone.
Waiting for Granddaddy to get home
So we could head out to the old shed to retrieve the oddly tangled lights.
He always wondered how they had gotten that way.
Granddaddy was a great man.
Uncle Grover would guarantee something wild at the table.
Uncle was the outdoor hunter fisher type.
It was always a toss up between our house or his
I always liked going to his house.
The old saying goes “The only thing in life that is certain is death and taxes”.
Family was a most satisfying ritual for us.
When people say home that is what I think of.
It's well worth your time to remember these times.
(RICCO)
Unkept thoughts would not likely be
told to the forest but only to one tree
Standing taller that all the rest
Is the one tree I like the best.
That tree was the oldest of the ones around
Their limbs and branches spread wide and sound
Giving shelter to what lies below
Flowers come alive and more will follow.
This great big tree so straight and tall
Has its special place next to the corner stonewall
Provided a stage for the birds that sung
Granddaddy watches over all, especially the young.
I see the forest this tree lives within
Still more to come where life will begin
Maple and oak, birch and walnut with pine mixed in
Many generations spotted that are next of kin.
My thoughts go to old grand dad
To praise him for his loyalty to all that he had
This family of trees manifests such beauty to see
Most of all, the old elm is that one grand tree.
Basking in the cool Autumn sun I sit in awe
Enjoying the crimson and medallion hues.
Awaiting the next morn for the fresh crisp air
Utterly flowing through my lungs with ease.
Thoughts of my youth cascade through my mind.
I am taken afloat to when granddaddy took all
Four of us grandchildren to the park to play
Under all the Maple trees; colors immerse me.
Languishing willows weep for the loss of Summer.
Forgetting all about the heat, I embrace this
Autumnal season with aspiring anticipation.
Laughing and loving under the Harvest moon I
Look forward to the affection nature provides.
Beautiful Fall Poetry Contest
John Hamilton
September 7, 2018
He was a straight-laced lawman,
who went strictly by the book
Before he took any criminal gunsmoke down,
he would give them
his best Marshall Dillon righteous look
Said he would always give them a fair trial
Just one of the rules his daddy lawman taught him
He could still hear the words
echoing from yesteryear ...
no matter how many bullets he took:
A good cop is always obligated
to try to save a crook
His granddaddy said it was the humane thing to do
He was a fourth generation tin star,
a badge of honor held in high esteem
by his family
Many a county folk said,
he was the best lawman to come down the line
Had the fastest gun
this side of great grand’s lightning moonshine
And with the coming sunset legacy,
he heard all the retirement tales —
Even the fastest draw
has to slow down at some point,
and rest a spell
So he patted his son on the back,
and passed the Colt 45 revolver baton
The fifth finger on the hand,
raised rightly
to be the next family lawman
My Granddaddy said
A whole lot to me
To prepare for the things
A young mind couldn't see
He peaked around corners
And underneath beds
Here are some things about life
My Granddaddy said
Life if you ain't careful
Can grab you by the throat
It's a dress that is red
It's a glass bottom boat
It's a beautiful smile
With the sharpest of teeth
Life's a kiss on the head
And a kick in the knees
It's a shake of the hand
A knife in the back
A shoulder to cry
A belly of laughs
Life it can be
Most anything
From the roar of a lion
To a bluebird that sings
It's a shave that is close
A miss by a mile
An old man at most
A soft tender child
A moment of wonder
A sneeze never blessed
Pouring out more
Then taking it back
My Granddaddy said
A whole lot to me
To prepare for the things
A young mind couldn't see
He peaked around corners
And underneath beds
These are some things about life
My Granddaddy said
granddaddy longleg
watching me just out of reach
then it just moves on
As the fog rises from the vale
Reaching upwards to the sky
And crickets sing their song
Thoughts leave the port and fly
Fly away thoughts to years gone by
When times were nostalgic
Great-granddaddy had hopes and dreams
Which became weighted with bricks
Placed in the raging streams and gone
Like winds flush the chaff
What were those hopes for the future
No thoughts of a spacecraft
As a golden ball breaks through clouds
An eerie gold radiance
The sun pierces the fog's hold on nature
Revealing change in cadence
Granddaddy Oak seeks druid daughters,
accommodations for three or four.
Possibly more.
One thing that spiders always love to do
Spin their webs of mastery just for you
Beauty of their fine, silvery web strings
Holding each drop of water in its rings
The center holds the granddaddy of all
Creator of this masterpiece installed
He sits just waiting for the naive bug
Then he kills it with his engrossing drug
The spider can build this web in one night
Some webs are quite the incredible sight
Web makes it through many types of weather
Even powerful storms could not bother
Spider spins all of its webbing just right
Web and spider work together with might
Russell Sivey
Contest: Along Came a Spider......
Sponsor: Suzanne Delaney
6/2/2013
There was once a granddaddy spider who
I was a-fixin' to stomp with my shoe
It made me think twice
That wouldn't be nice
He's a granddaddy and I are one too
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved
I SEE HEAVEN OVER THERE.
I see heaven over there
The lights of glory
Do not despair
Tell my friends
I’ll meet them there
I see heaven over there.
My daddy has gone to be with Jesus
Walking on streets of gold
Granddaddy is singing
With the saints of old,
Jesus is still the son of God
God still holds us in his hands
I see heaven over there
The lights of glory
Do not despair
Tell my friends
I’ll meet them there
I see heaven over there.
Angels surround as on our journey we go.
Mothers and fathers praying for our children
Brothers and sisters traveling Gods way
Call on Jesus everyday
He is your friend
Ask him to be your savior
So you too can see heaven over there
I see heaven over there
The lights of glory
Do not despair
Tell my friends
I’ll meet them there
I see heaven over there.
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