Ramblings of Alaskan Bush Poet: A Common Man's Stories Through Rhyme

By Andy Anderson

I've held a myriad of jobs in the more than 53 years I've made Alaska, the Great Land, my home. Varieties of employment, along with my other life experiences, have given me an interesting and exciting existence. My experiences have been educational, some frightening, some life threatening, some humorous, some heartbreaking, but all played a part in preparing me for the writing of Ramblings of an Alaskan Bush Poet. I'm hopeful my backstories will put the reader in somewhat the same mind set, or emotion, I was experiencing at the time. When readers discuss my work I hope to be viewed as a common man who tells his stories through rhyme and, at the same time, someone who paints a vivid picture of what my limericks convey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Publication Consultants
• Release date: Sep 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781594337260

Andy Anderson

Andy Anderson, born on a farm in southern Illinois, left home and moved to Alaska as a teenager. He quickly found out what it was to live in the real world, and having to work many different types of jobs simply to survive. By working hard, and being honest, he found many doors opened for him. Andy was given the chance to prove himself in many different occupations where he learned different skills. He's worked operating all kinds of heavy equipment, ran tugboats and dive boats on oil related jobs, worked as a logger running heavy equipment, and served as Chief of Police for Seldovia, Alaska for nearly 32 years. Before the Badge deals with his Alaska life from 1964 to 1979—before being a sworn police officer. Andy hopes you will find his short stories interesting and entertaining.

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Rambelings of an Alaskan Bush Poet

By A.W. Andy Anderson

I was born on a farm in Southern Illinois where I spent most of my early childhood. As a young man at the age of 16 I left home and traveled to Alaska where I planned to spend the summer then return home. Plans changed and I stayed on in Alaska and throughout my life I have had to work in a number of different occupations to survive. I worked in fish processing plants, drove taxi cab, drove dump trucks and 18 wheelers, and I operated heavy equipment, which included caterpillars, front end loaders, road graders, cable and hydraulic cranes. I worked in the woods, logging with heavy equipment. I also worked for a few years commercial king crab fishing and I fished commercially for salmon and halibut, operated tugs and dive boats in oil related jobs, worked on the North Slope of Alaska in oil related heavy equipment operation, then I ran a tug out of Prudhoe Bay for one season. In 1979 I took the position as Police Chief in Seldovia, Alaska and this job lasted for nearly 32 years until I retired in 2011.

I’ve always enjoyed writing poems and short storied but after I retired I became much more active in pursuing my writing. At present, in conjunction with the poems, I’m writing a book outlining my Police activities in a small community and I have entitled it Alaska Bush Cop. I hope to finish it within the next couple years.

The idea for this book of poems resulted after a friend and his wife, Roy and Karen Flint, read some of my poetry, and asked that I send more for them to peruse. Upon sending them more of my writings I added a paragraph explaining how the poem, or the idea for its content, came about. The Flints told me they really enjoyed my poetry but it greatly enhanced their interest when I explained my reasons, or the experiences, which generated their being written. I felt if their interest was heightened when I explained how the poems came to be written possibly others would also feel the same so I came up with the idea of putting the poems in book form with explanations of how, or why, they came to be. I hope you enjoy my writings.

Mother’s Day was approaching and I felt the need to acknowledge this important day. My mother passed away some years ago but she’ll live forever in my heart so I wrote this for all mothers, past and present. I posted it on our local social media site and it was received very well.

A Mother’s Day Wish

Today is the day we celebrate,

All the mothers of this earth,

The one whose love was unconditional,

From the moment of our birth.

She kissed all our little pains away,

She bandaged all our scrapes and cuts,

And if we were really, really bad,

She spanked our little butts.

She fussed over us every night and day,

She worried when we were out of sight,

And she never ever missed a single chance,

To tuck us in at night.

She’d help us with our school homework,

She made sure that we were fed,

She insured we had clean clothes to wear,

And she heard everything we said.

Special people, oh that they are,

Someone who is always near,

Some may have parted this earth we’re on,

But in our memories we hold them dear.

But for you mothers who are still with us,

We celebrate with flowers and with song,

We may show it more on this special day,

But really we cherish you all year long.

So on this you’re special, special day,

Let me say Happy Mother’s Day, mom,

All those memories that we hold so dear,

We’ll cherish daily as this life goes on.

In 2016 I decided I would send out Christmas cards to a number of friends and family members and, having a card making program on the computer, I decided I would write a poem and send it in the cards. I felt it only fitting, since I live in Alaska, that I write a poem that encompasses some of Alaska’s unique characteristics such as a log cabin with a rock fireplace and the Northern Lights as well as the snow. The poem was well received and I received very encouraging feedback.

An Alaskan Style Christmas

Wouldn’t it be great to have an Alaskan style Christmas,

With your friends and loved ones all gathered round,

Everyone setting near the burning rock fireplace,

In a small log cabin just outside of town.

It’d be only fitting Dad read the Christmas story,

As Christmas carols are playing soft and low,

And one by one the little ones would drift off in slumber,

In the warmth of the fireplace glow.

The Northern Lights could be seen out the window,

As they danced in the moonless night,

And it promised to be a white Christmas,

The light falling snow, a beautiful sight.

And all the presents are stacked very high,

Beneath that beautiful great northern pine,

Here is wishing you a very Merry Christmas,

An Alaska blessing sent to your home from mine.

I was feeling a little nostalgic during the Christmas season and from that the following poem was written. Always at Christmas time I recall my childhood where I was the youngest of six sons. We never had much money but, Christmas meant a lot, because we all took part in the preparations for the holiday. It was a family affair getting the tree and the decorating. Now being the only living member of my immediate family I find those memories to be even dearer to me. This poem outlines some of those family activities when we were making ready for Christmas Day. Memories I am so thankful for today.

Downhome Christmas

Christmas Day is fast approaching,

Our little town seems alive and well,

I know what present you all are getting,

But, I promised I wouldn’t tell.

The