NORA

  Nora

  by GG Watt

Poor little Nora Frumble

Every day at school

She would take a fall

Books and all

From the hall clear

Down the stairs

Poor Nora Frumble

Anything to be noticed

By the boys in high school.

Bump, bump, bump

She would tumble.

You would think

Everyone would

Catch on eventually.

But very few did.

The exceptions were

My friends and I.

Every day at exactly two,

Right after the bell rang

To change classes,

We'd wait at the foot

Of the stairs to watch her, 

To see the act she would do.

This is a matter of fact.

She would clutch her forehead,

Gracefully down she would go!

Over, over, over then land

KERPLUNK! Right at our feet.

We would try not to laugh,

Yes, we would laugh so

Trying not to let her know.

What a show!

SNOW ICE CREAM

Mother saw a recipe

In the paper one day

For making snow ice cream.

She sent my sister, two brothers, 

Outside with big spoons.

Off they went out the door.

I trotted along after them

Carrying a very small one

As I was only four.

We also took a dishpan

To gather "only very white

Snow!" said mother

Emphasizing "no yellow!"

At four I thought that funny.

It was a very cold day so

I was bundled up to my nose.

But in spite of the snow

The day was quite sunny.

Inside mother got out the big

Ice cream machine, hooked

It up, then we came inside.

We watched as it churned

Round, round it went, I stood

On my tip toes to see our 

Treat being made.  When

It was finished we all had some.

It was the best ever, so good.   

PULLING TAFFEE

Pulling taffy was a great

Fun time in my family.

On a snowy Saturday night

Mother would boil a

Sugary liquid until the

Candy thermometer registered

The temperature was just right.

After we all greased our hands,

She poured it out

On a greased cooky sheet.

When it was cool enough

We'd roll a piece in our hands.

We'd make a big ball then

Usually we would sneak a small

Bite, oh it was so sweet!

Two at a time we would

Pull with all our might

Over and over, fold, pull,

Fold, pull till it was creamy

White taffy.  Mother would

Then crack off pieces of it.

We would all have a piece,

Eat till we were full.

If there was more left,

We would choose a partner,

Then begin all over again.

As we pulled it got bigger, longer,

Stretching out across the kitchen.

We always got the giggles 

As we pulled.  My brothers

Pulled the best ones

As they were stronger.

IF ONLY

         IF ONLY
by GG Watt


If only we could communicate
With those whom we have loved.
The ones who have passed away.
Whom we wanted with us to stay.

How wonderful that would be
To see them, talk to them again.
To meet them face to face
To be enfolded in their embrace.

It will only be possible when
We, too, die. To be united with Jesus.
It is sad they will never return.
United we’ll be, have no concern.

REGARDING MY CRUSH ON JEAN PIERRE

When I was twelve in my first 

Year of high school

I had a serious crush on

The handsome movie star

Jean Pierre Aumont.

He starred in the movie

The Cross Of Lorraine.

I loved him from afar.

I kept his picture in the back

Of my school binder so I could 

Look at him often in my binder.

I would look at him and sigh!

I thought of him as my sweetheart.

He made my twelve year old heart flutter.

They say that love is blind

Well, mine was blinder!

Never dared tell anyone 

About what was hiding in my binder.

About my secret "Prince Charming"

For fear I'd be laughed at

Or worse still, be ridiculed.

I already was teased about being

Too skinny cause kids called me "Grasshopper!"

That surely would have been alarming.

I grew up and married

My "Prince Charming"

My dream man.

Not a movie star

As handsome as one though.

We have lived such a 

Wonderful, exciting life. 

Love of God has made it so.

THE SAGA OF THE POISONED DART

There once was a family,

An outstanding family, a model family.

A lovely family of beauty and grace.

A holy family, too.

Each day they prayed together

For the whole human race.

The couple was married

When they were quite young.

Loved each other and their

Four young children dearly.

Especially four year Kevin

Who lisped through his tongue.

The children never seemed to fight.

Unusual for children I think.

Melody the baby had big blue eyes.

Lorraine was the teen glamorous sixteen.

Eileen, the studious one in glasses

So pretty, graceful, she walked like a queen.

After dinner and prayers

They were all snuggled down

One night in the winter.

The TV was off, no noise in the house, 

They started  to snooze, when suddenly

Mother heard something splinter!

"Wake up George, listen

I heard something queer!" 

"I heard nothing dear."

"Sh-h-h! George please

I know I heard something

Back of the house at the rear".

He sat up and listened

Then heard a strange sound.

Someone or something 

Was prowling around.

"I'll get the dart dear"

Said he "for protection".

He opened the drawer

Took something small out,

Under his breath he was swearing.

Two men came tiptoeing out in the hall,

Swiftly opened the doors,

Ugly masks they were wearing.

A scene quite scary as they

Called the children to enter. 

"Get out!" cried George in a loud voice.

"I've got a poison dart here

Which kills in seconds,

What's your choice?"

They turned, ran downstairs then

Out the door.  Hurried away in the night.

Much faster than when they came in.

George and Ruth laughed till their 

Stomach's started to hurt.

As George stood holding a fountain pen!

So tonight when you go up to sleep

Remember to put your pen upon the bed.

No need to listen for strange noises 

In the night.  Sleep peacefully

Without any worry at all.

With a weapon you have nothing to dread.

David Copperfield

                              DAVID COPPERFIELD

by Mary L. Watt

David Copperfield was a wonderful child.

Invented by Charles Dickens.

The 1800’s produced many of his 

Fascinating books, some funny, some sad.

He wrote t hem so fast and furious

Some people thought him mad!

Mr. and Mrs. Macauber loved David so much.

After his miserable life in a strictly disciplined school.

Life there was so hard.  They beat him daily.

Made him a slave.  Worked in a factory

When he was very young.

Life was so terribly cruel.

Mr. Maucaber had to move away one day.

He could not take David with him. 

 David was alarmed!  

He ran away to find an aunt

He knew would give him a home

Protect him from being harmed.

Thieves stole all his money.

He had to walk many long miles

When asleep by a tree

Someone stole his shoes

His feet were cut and bleeding.

Unfortunately the thief he did not see.

Euriah Heep was a strange, puny, deceitful man.

Unkind, cruel.  He lived near the home where

David lived.  David grew up with Agnes

The daughter of the school master.

Dora was his true heart’s attraction.

Where ever he was he thought of her.

His aunt changed his name to Trotwood.

Which he became known as later in life.

His adventures were exciting reading.

Gramma and I loved reading Dickens.

On summer days we’d sit under the trees, 

Reading enjoying being together.

When I Start To Write A Poem

                       WHEN I START TO WRITE A POEM

by GG Watt

When I start to write a poem

I look around to see what I can see.

There is a crucifix upon the wall

With Jesus looking down at me.

I take my pen and start to write.

Just as busy as can be.

Words come fast as lightening

In my brain inspiration hits me suddenly.

Magically a poem appears upon the page.

I have to stop for dinner.

Noticed I’ve put on a few pounds

So made vegetables hoping to get thinner.

Going back to my posting at the computer

Where I begin to save it.

I find I really like the poem

So I start to type, I cannot see

I get up cause I need a lamp lit.

I continue typing until bedtime.

I am growing very sleepy.

The wind is howling outside.

It’s sound is very creepy.

Tomorrow I will write more poetry

Perhaps a spooky, scary one,

About that howling wind I heard.

Will even scare me when I’m done!

I do love writing poetry.

It is my favorite hobby.

Some like it, others no.

Me thinks they are quite snobby.

Panache

PANACHE 

by GG Watt

The three musketeers had panache.

They were very brave, swashbuckling

Men who absolutely had courage.

When wielding a sharp sword

They always defeated their opponent 

Who usually was very mean.

Slashing, flashing swords

Could be heard clicking

Whenever they were near.

They never started fights

But always seemed to win them.

Defending justice or perhaps

A fair maiden in distress.

Whose heart they usually

Won with their panache.

 

MY LIFE'S PLEASURES

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain"!

When your whole life becomes distress

Sarah Breathneck said

"When we choose not to

Focus on what's missing

From our lives but are grateful

For the abundance that's present...

We experience heaven on earth!"

There is much truth in that saying.

Everyone I know tries to do just that.

My husband and I do, too.

Some never learn so their lives are flat.

Flat just like a pancake lying in the pan.

They never seem to see the joys that surround them.

If only they look around they will

See the beauty in their lives.

It is there but they cannot seem to feel it.

I've heard many mothers complain

About raising their children.

They only see the diapers, crying, whining.

If only they could enjoy the kids now

Because they grow up so fast.

Sometimes mothers, fathers lose their tempers

They bring their precious little ones up

Yelling, screaming, even swearing at them.

How sad for little ears to hear that day after day!

My husband and I enjoyed our children.

Oh sure, there were times when we

Became exasperated and did our share

Of talking a little too loudly,

Blew our lids at them. We are human!

For the most part we were pretty good.

We had a large family. All together I

Delivered eight babies. We now have six

Having lost two. Son Bob died four years ago.

My husband traveled from Monday to Friday

Each week for many years. I stayed home

With the children. Crazy or not actually

I thought it was like heaven! I always

Wanted a big family. Our first five were

In five years, by the time our eldest was

Twelve we had all of them. After a busy

Day, dinner, baths, I would put them to bed

After prayers, I would kiss them goodnight.

Then read them a bedtime story.

Turn off the lights, tiptoe out of their rooms.

The hard part was keeping Bobby in bed.

That little rascal would tease me night

Every night running around for me to catch.

I finally outsmarted him by tying his ankle

To the bedpost with a nylon stocking. It

Was great for when he strained against it

It would tighten, then when he stopped

It would go slack. Finally after a week

I only tied it to his ankle. He never knew

The difference since he was only two.

I'd do all of my housework

In the middle of the night so

I coud play with the children

The next day. Thursday was

"Mamas day". The kids observed

That day strictly. I would do anything

I wanted to. If I was tired and wanted

To stay in bed and read it was OK.

They would stay by me to read, draw,whatever.

I ran my household like a nursery school.

I kept dishpans with their names on them

Over the dryer to hold their folded clothes.

Their jobs were to put them away. I would

Tell them in the morning to hurry, get dressed,

Because after breakfast we would have something

Wonderful, a surprise to do that day. Each one

Was responsible for making their bed. I never

Critisized them for their were very proud of their job.

My husband and I found our family

So much fun to our delight. When Don

And I first married we promised to spend

Two hours a day with each other. To this

Day we still do it. By phone when he traveled.

We still do it holding hands telling about our day.

Even at church we hold hands. After sixty long years

We love each other dearly. Forever darling is engraved

In our wedding bands. Sweet huh?

IN MY GARDEN

A little yellow flying bug

Is peeking in my window now

Looks like he would like to come inside

But alas he does not know how

He keeps flying there

I think he has a smile upon his face

Oops! he just bumped his nose

On the window pane at my place

Oh another visitor here

There goes a monarch butterfy

She flutters by the window

Darting up then down I know not why

I've planted many flowers

In my flower bed

Riotious colors planted there

To tempt yellows blues also red

I/m happy in my garden

I say my rosary there

By the statue of blessed Mary

Sitting on my patio chair

I see big yellow bumble bees

Gathering sweet honeyed nector from

Flowers weeds stalks of cone buds  

I hear the chorus of the birds

Tweeting melodies as they come

It is so pleasant on my patio

Warmed by the noonday sun

Watching fluffy clouds pass by

I love to paint them every one

NOSES

Used to wonder why

God gave some of us long noses?

Others are broad and wide.

Jimmy Dirante called his a "Snozzola".

I never knew I had a different nose

Until one day in second grade

Catherine Mulvehill told me

That Tommy Murphy said that

"I would be the prettiest girl in

Second grade if I did not have such

A long nose"! Well then I began to

Wonder why that was. Finally I

Realized one day that all the best

Singers I've known had them.

They resonate the lovely sound

Of a beautiful singing voice just

Like a fabulous instrament.

Thank you Lord for giving me

A long large nose! Mother always

Told me to be thankful for even having

A nose at all because she read in the paper

That a lady in Kansas City let a squrrel

Run up her arm one day. She was happy

Thinking he would do her no harm when

All of a sudden he BIT OFF HER NOSE!

Wow, I should start a contest called

The long, large nosed singers annual

Contest inviting all people in that catagory

In the U. S., or even the world to come.

I'll call it the Jimmy Dirante Nose-Off!

We will have judges who measure to see

Just who has the longest, largest, biggest nose.

I'll bet that person will have the best voice in history.

Yep, I'm gonna do it. I'll tell them all to

Bring a big red ribbon along to tie around their noses.

Now for the first time in my life I really do appreciate

My beautiful long nose!

In fact I just might tie a pretty red ribbon around it

Or a blue one meaning 1st prize then wear it every day.

I really have learned to love my long nose!

PASTORA

Pastora was one of those people

Who lived like a saint.

So good, charming, holy

That one would think

She had a halo

Above her head!

She used to say

Distinctly that is she referred

To the people she helped

As "my poor's".  The other

Was she always addressed

Everyone as "my friend"when she 

Could not remember their names.

I want to follow

Her example for

I, too, have a problem

Remembering names.

The saintly part I will

Have to work very hard

To keep trying to attain!

LONDON PRIDE GERMANY SHAME

Winston Churchhill tenacious "bull dog"

Was an interesting man.

In the 1930's this imperial person of history 

You will meet if you scan.

He was stalwart, strong,

Unbending in the face of war.

Had many "black dog" days

Remained the most brave there are!

In Germany Jews were being

Hauled away to the camp.

Concentration ones for killing.

Crammed into box cars all cold and damp.

Those who remember lived to tell

All have tattooed numbers on their wrist.

Families, friends all dead in the ovens

For they were burned to a crisp!

It's startling to think

There is a group--hopefully few.

Who do not believe this horror

Ever occurred to any Jew.

Adolf Hitler's pure Arian race

He thought to be 

The purest of pure

He hoped to live in history.

But God intervened  

To Hitler's surprise

God suddenly brought about

This fiendish dictator's quick demise!