Category Archives: creative writing

Sep 22

Untitled

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Relics, Family Heirlooms, Souvenirs

Mom‘s cleaned out a jewelry case that my Dad gave her before they were married. It was the first gift he’d given her. Tonight Mom gave it to Keisha.

Some of the items she’s given me from it include:

    A Good Samaritan Hospital bracelet I wore for one of my operations when I was very young. It’s inscription says:
    JOHNSON, DANIEL A., JR. 301703–5
    DR. J. IBANEZ/E. GAW (C) 04

  • A pair of cuff links that my maternal grandfather, Charles H. Mitchell used to wear
  • A tie tack I received for my First Communion at Corpus Christi Catholic church when I was in 3rd grade
  • Obituary clipping for my cousin Richie Johnson, who passed away when he was only 2 months old. It reads:
    Richie Johnson
    Richie Lee Johnson, 2-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Johnson, of 822 Nesslewood Ave., died Wednesday in his home. Also surviving are his brother, Donald E., Jr.; grandparents, Mrs. Delphine Johnson and Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Erwin, and great-grandparents, Mrs. Mabel McGraw and Mr. and Mrs. Casper Ciaciuch. Graveside services will be today at 2 p.m. in Calvary Cemetery. Arrangements are by the Abele Mortuary.

  • My mom’s first application for her driver’s license, dated August 31, 1973, which was just before her 21st birthday. Her handwriting hasn’t changed that much over the years.
  • A cloth ring my Dad gave her instead of a real wedding ring, because he couldn’t afford one yet.
  • A poem my Dad’s sister, my aunt Beckie, wrote, entitled “Mom, You’re an Angel.” I’ll post it in a separate entry.

Jul 28

Da Beard Is Gone – A Poem

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Ad-libbed by the Danimal this day, 27 July 2003, in the year of our Lord:

The beard is gone
The mustache, too
It was just something
I had to do

For I tugged and pulled
At my chinny-chin-chin
‘Twas quite a state
I found myself in

Then with scissors in hand
I moved quickly
Until my face
Not clean-shaven but prickly

To bed I retired
To my wife I did say
A surprise for you
I’ll have the next day

Then waking did she
From that restful place
My eyes were opened
And I showed her my face

To work I drove her
With grace and speed
Then to the shower
Where I’d finish the deed

With no mirror to guide me
I lathered and shaved
Hoping and praying
My neck would be saved

Then finished were we
With no time to spare
Yes, even no time
To do Keisha’s hair

Mom stayed behind
Her rest she did need
Keisha and I
Our bellies did feed

Reflecting am I
On this brand-new me
I’ve had this beard
Since before January

Son, says my Mom,
Before we handle our hunger,
Your clean-shaven face
Makes you look five years younger!

How long will this last
I sit here and think
How long will my face
Stay clean and pink?

A short time or long
The answer’s not clear
I’ll be me,
So there’s nothing to fear

Jul 23

I’m Free – A Poem

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I do not know who wrote the poem below. It was inside a memorial flyer we picked up at the recent visitation for a friend:

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free;
I’m following the path God laid for me.
I took His hand when I heard Him call;
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day,
to laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way;
I found that place at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void, then fill it with
remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh,
a kiss; Ah yes, these things, I too, will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow;
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full, I savored much;
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me;
God wanted me now. He set me free.

Jul 23

Little Angels

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I do not know who wrote the poem below. It was inside the funeral announcement I picked up at a recent visitation:

When God calls little children to dwell
with him above. We mortals sometimes
question the wisdom of His love.
For no heartache compares with
the death of one small child.
Who does so much to make our world
seem wonderful and mild.
Perhaps God tires of calling the aged to His fold.
So He picks a rosebud before it can grow old.
God knows how much we need them,
and so he makes but a few.
To make the hand of Heaven
more beautiful to view.
Believing this is difficult,
still somehow we must try.
The saddest word mankind know will
always be goodbye.
So when a little child departs,
we who are left behind,
must realize God love children.
Angels are hard to find.

Jul 23

Visitation

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Jennie and I attended the visitation for the three people killed in the automobile crash this past Sunday. It was a heart-wrenching experience:

The line to see and be with the dearly departed extended outside the funeral home.

Kieran

As soon as we got to where the caskets were, I saw Kieran. She was dressed in a nice outfit, wearing a baby hat. A baby blanket was placed over her. Sunday was her one-year old birthday. She was born and she died on the same day, one year exactly. We had met her parents before when they visited our church with Sarah and Bill. Her parents are in their early to to mid twenties, and they remained beside her casket as people came in. Kieran’s mother clutched one of her daughter’s stuffed toys, and both she and her husband openly wept aloud. They said they were grateful that they had her for as long as they did, but it was obvious that there would still be a lot of grieving.

Sarah

The next casket down was Sarah’s. She was only 22 years old. It had been awhile since I’d last seen her. I believe it was late last summer, at their oldest son Kade’s 3 year old birthday party in a park. The funeral home did a wonderful job with her makeup and outfit. Yet, for some reason, I could tell she didn’t look the same. This gave me a little bit of an idea how horrific the accident was.

Hayden

In the last casket was Hayden, Bill and Sarah’s youngest son, 20 months old, born just six days after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He looked different, too from what I remember. He was dressed in a “little-man” outfit.

Bill

Bill remained by his and Sarah’s caskets. He said that he had been going through a cycle of emotions. I told him that I didn’t know what to say. My mom had given me an envelope with some words she’d written for him. I handed it to him, and he placed it in his suit jacket.

Good Can Come From This

If there can be any good to come from this, it may be that the two babies never had an opportunity to grow up and reject God. Sarah had been a disciple of Jesus Christ, and we can pray that her heart was right with God.

Memorial Poems

Inside the memorial flyers, along with the details of the three individuals, were two poems that I’m going to post: Little Angels and I’m Free.

Jul 22

Somehow You Found Me

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Below is a sample of search words and phrases typed into search engines recently that wound up finding this weblog. I created a TinyURL for ones that I thought were provocative enough to merit a look-see:

Jul 21

I Am Somebody

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This poem is something the kids at Keisha’s school recite at the beginning of every day. I do not know who wrote it. It’s much more inspiring than the song they sing about their school, which I personally find to be just plain silly:

I am somebody.
I am capable and loveable.
I am teachable, therefore I can learn.
I can do anything when I try.
I respect myself and others.
I’ll be the best that I can be each day.
I will not waste time, because it is too
valuable, and I am too precious and bright.
I am somebody.

May 03

Free Verse — Free-basing??

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I don’t really know for sure, but there is something strange going with this poem generator.

Journey Inside My Mind

Journey Inside there. for
something interesting… Frequently Asked me know that, in the
only Sinus infections.
been up later when somebody came to God currently number 1059 ,
QuotesBlog currently number 1163 have not.
happy Birthday, Mark
C.

Thanks to Mark C. Morris, better known as The Official Iowan, for the link.

Feb 05

Somehow You Found It, Part Deux

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Checking the referrer logs for QuotesBlog, I’m not surprised that a number of the referring pages were web searches. What did intrigue me is what people were searching for. Consider the following:

  • google search: duke of wellingtion on ben franklin
  • yahoo search: quotation compass love
  • daypop search: aaron brown
  • google search 100th Birthday Quotes
  • google search: quotes from sandra day o’connor
  • aol search: quotation and “failure is not an option”
  • google search: Hubert Humphrey quotation society
  • google search: quotation ghandi
  • yahoo search: time flies like an arrow quotation
  • google search: quotes from Father Flanagan
  • msn search: i need a quote
  • google search: quotes belittle ambitions
  • google search: Hannah Senesh Quotation
  • google search: quotes about kurt vonnegut
  • google search: beryl pfizer
  • google search: chuck barris quotes
  • google search: quotation on overcoming obstacles in love
  • google search: margaret mead poem sensitivity
  • google search: Coco Chanel quotation
  • yahoo search: the quote ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances
  • yahoo search: prom quotation
  • google search: proverbs on teamwork and jack welch
  • yahoo search: quotes about rejection
  • google search: quotes growing
  • google search: quote and “a writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult”
  • google search: listener quotes
  • google search: ghandi saying
  • google search: Jack paar quotation
  • google search: woolf friendship quotation
  • google search: father flanagan quotes
  • msn search: blog quotes
  • msn search: quotation lion
  • google search: “see further” stand shoulders quotation
  • msn search: quotation on ignoring your feelings
  • msn search: quotation on ignoring your feelings
  • google search: mark twain quotes vice
  • yahoo search: love ingredient quotation
  • google search:”I do not know what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
  • msn search: encouraging quotations to success
  • google search: ghandi quotation
  • msn search: quotation about u
  • aol search: sayings of ghandi
  • google search: dag hammarskjold quotation
  • google, ca search: dove and trust
  • google search: Ruckelshaus The family is the building block for whatever
  • google search: clever wine sayings
  • yahoo search: toni morrison and quotes

Somehow you all got there, and perhaps you found what you were looking for. Others decided to link back. For this I thank you.

Jan 30

Shuttle Crew Calls Station, Workers Recall Challenger Disaster

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Yahoo! News – Shuttle Crew Calls Station, Workers Recall Challenger Disaster

I remember, in the days following the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion, a boatload of emotions. I still can recall portions of President Reagan’s address to the nation. In an effort to deal with how I was feeling, I penned a poem, which I entitled “Confusion”. I recently posted it to “Streams of Consciousness”. Please check it out when you get a moment.

2005 Update: removed reference to an obsolete Yahoo! link.