One Day I Was Thinking About …: Poetry of Appreciation

By Alice Hartley

Alice Hartley always knew she was meant to write. The poems in this posthumous collection were inspired by events and family members who came to visit and, although they might not have stayed long, had adventures all the same. Written over the course of eight decades, Alice looks back on a long life of friendship, love, and occasional hilarious mishaps.

She recalls mischievous childhood walks through the nighttime cemetery to say hello to relatives dead and gone. She gazes into the foggy memory of lost youth and cries out to God in a midnight prayer of desperation. Through adventures on snowy winter days to an accidental swim on her husbands fishing trip, Alice relives it all.

As distinct parts of life, she addresses love and hate. Some poems will leave the reader guessing, while others will help make Alice more understandable and relatable. Through it all, Alice makes it clear there are times to slow down, look around, and notice the simple things in life so that you may also say, One day, I was thinking about

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781504979191

Alice Hartley

Alice Hartley’s poetry collection was in the woks for over eighty-five years. She lived in Michigan most of her life but traveled extensively while serving in the Navy Reserve. Alice and her husband have seven grown children, fifteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She has since passed, but her daughter hopes she will live on through her beautiful words.

Book preview

One Day I was

Thinking About…

Poetry of Appreciation

ALICE HARTLEY

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© 2016 Alice Hartley. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse   02/17/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5049-7920-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-7919-1 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

DEDICATION

ADVENTURES IN THE DARK

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A NATION OF HEROES

LOST YOUTH

MY MIDNIGHT MIND

JANUARY A WINTRY DAY

NO FAILURE AM I

FINE FISHING?

PERSONAL INTERVIEW

PERSONAL INTERVIEW 2

FOR OUR CHILDREN AND THEIRS

LOVE ‘EM ALL

THE CHANGING OF THE SEASON

BACK TO LIFE

PACKING

AUTUMN MEDITATION

DECEMBER 26

MUD, FUN MUD!

MY FAVORITE WAKE UP CALL

PRAISE

WARM WINTER WEAR

COMMERCIALS

WE WILL BE FREE!!

WHITE DRIVEWAY; SQUIRREL SKATING RINK

SONNET TO SENIORS

DARK THUNDER, WHITE LIGHTNING, MEDIUM RARE STREAKS

A GIFT OF LOVE

AUGUST 8, 1994 MY GREATEST TREASURES

MIRRORS OF EMOTION

A BOY?

TO YOU, FROM ME

A NEW DISH

THANK YOU FOR 2003

WOODS MONSTER920

THE LADY WITH THE TALKING EYES

MOOD EARRINGS

MOTHER MARY

JULY 21, 1995 SIXTEEN!

AM I AN ARTIST?

TIM

MAKING A HEM

AUTUMN TREASURES ECHOES OF BEAUTY

SENIORHOOD

A MARTYR TO LIBERTY

HIGHWAY HIEROGLYPHICS

DIRGE TO LOST YOUTH

NIGHT

THE SILENT REBEL

THE DRIFTWOOD OF MY MIND

MISH MASH

MISH MASH

MISH MASH AGAIN & AGAIN

MISH MASH

MISH MASH

LAST VESTIGES OF YOUTH

GENIUS AT WORK

NO WHAT?

FEBRUARY 1993 RHYTHM AND RHYME

A LOVING TRIBUTE

SOUP, SLOP, & SCIENCE FICTION

WHO NEEDS ME?

WE ALL ARE AMERICANS

NOVEMBER 18, 1992 REFLECTIONS

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

AGE OF MATURITY

SPRING SONG

MY FIRST RHYME

BE PROUD

DRY DAYS?

BROWN CHRISTMAS

LET’S PRETEND

CAMPING

ONE HAPPY FAMILY DAY

MOUNTAIN SUNSET

THE SUNSET

THE WOODS MONSTER

THANK YOU LORD

DARK WATER, WHITE CAPS

HEART OF SUNSHINE

MARCH ICE STORM

SISTERS AND BROTHERS

OPEN WIDE

TWO COUSINS

CIRCUS 11

WHO DO I THINK I AM?

THE SUN WILL SHINE AGAIN

IN FINE VOICE!

THE WINNER!

JUST FOR LOGAN

NOISE ‘N’ BOYS

SMILES

WONDERFUL SEVEN

CHILD DRIVER

SLIPPERY SOUTH HAVEN PIER

1/28/73 THROUGH THE EYES OF A THREE-YEAR-OLD

GRANDS AND GREATS

8/4/2012 THE CAT BROKER

A MICHAEL IS A MICHAEL IS A MICHAEL

HELP! HELP!

EYES

ODORS AND SMELLS

NO GOING BACK

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABE

SURPRISE!

GRANDCHILDREN

BEWARE THE CAT

LOOK WHAT WE GOT

YOU KIDS!

WORDS! WORDS! WORDS!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ME1 ONE HAPPY GRANDMOTHER

COME LOVE ME

A LETTER TO DADDY IN HEAVEN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

KATHY

ODE TO MAMMALS

MUSIC AND MUSINGS

AGAINST NATURE’S STRENGTH

GOD BLESS

TAKE TIME TO SEE THE KINGDOM

HE SAID

THREE IN ONE

MY ROSARY BEADS

HEART OF SUNSHINE

MY AFTERNOON NAP

EVERLASTING PEACE ON EARTH

SISTERS DON’T FIGHT

MY PRAYER TO MARY

MY HOME IS WITH THE LORD

I’LL BE ‘ON THE ROAD AGAIN’

SATAN IN A BROWN BOTTLE

A PRODUCT OF THIS CITY

LET ME LOVE AGAIN

DREAMING OUT OF A SCHOOL WINDOW

MOTHER, BOB AND MUSKRATS

EXPECTANCY

EMPATHY

DREAMS AND REALITY

MEMORIES

DEAR CHELSEA

MY DAD

A CHRISTMAS GREETING TO GWEN’S FAMILY

NOLAN

JOSEPH

INDECISION

WE ALL HAVE A HERO

DADDY’S BRAIDS

THANK YOU TO RAY AND NELL

SILENT REBELS-TERRIBLE TWO’S

TO JULIE

WINDOW WATCHING

A THANK YOU GIFT FOR JEAN AND JUNIOR ARTHUR

TARA ANN

FIRST DATE, LAST DATE

APRIL

MARILYN MY BABY

LISA

TAMMY

BIG MIKE

JEREMY AND I

STEVIE

ERIC MICHAEL MCCARTHY

DEAR PHYLLIS

DAUGHTER’S LOVE

LORI

LITTLE BOB

GO WITH GOD, MY SISTER

TRISH

SAGE

DUSTY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW

WONDERFUL SEVEN

MEMORIES (ANDREW)

MY BROTHER

DANIEL

ANGIE

NEWS FLASH

GHOSTS AND SKELETONS

CATHERINE AND LEWIS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

I’ve been aware of my partnership

With pen and paper since childhood.

My brain works more than tongue and lip.

My hand works better with lead and word

I know a lot of words, I do,

And I love them all.

The trick is using the right ones

So you’ll know just what I mean

To be comical,

Or serious,

    Or friendly,

        Naughty,

            Teasing,

                Flirty,

                    Disgusted,

                        Disgysting,

                            Comforting

And the reader interprets.

DEDICATION

Thank you God for allowing me

To be the instrument by which

These words of yours are recorded.

That they may be shared with all others

In Your Creation.

ADVENTURES IN THE DARK

When my cousin Malcom would come from Detroit,

We got into some real adventures,

Some were a comical nature,

But others were deep dark secrets.

Our next door neighbors all were dead—

In Rosendale Cemetery.

We visited them, but only at night!

Kathleen was only about six then-

Should have been home in bed!

But she begged and pleaded to come along.

So, two of the older ones took her hands,

And led her through the aisles

As a joke, my cousin said "if you walk on graves,

The dead guys will rise up

And grab your leg a pull you down!"

My little sister sure got afraid

And said, Take me home! I really am scared!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I don’t have to wait ‘til Jan. 1

To meet the new me—

To start my new life!

Every breath I take,

Every sigh, every thought,

Is one more opportunity

To wipe out the old ways-

The ones I don’t want-

And draw the line for new rules and regs!

Every day is the beginning of the

Rest of my life!

A NATION OF HEROES

BY

Alice Hartley

VIP # P058285

How many heroes in this great land?

We couldn’t name them all.

There are no levels of heroism,

All, like our land, are the same.

How do the newscasters keep from crying?

Their will power must be legendary.

There are steelworkers, firemen and cops;

Doctors, nurses, volunteers;

The chefs who were on TV today,

So vital, to keep the men fed;

The kin who have shared last messages,

The children who are left behind.

The pilots, who had to go back into the work

After the terrible tragedy. Who can trust?

There are many heroes in this land–-

Least of all, those of us who can only pray.

LOST YOUTH

Oh! To be a kid again,

And run out in the rain

Without a care!

And tease my sis until

She tells me that she’ll spill

Me all over the floor

Where did that little boy go?

The one who gave his Ma so

Many scares, and then hugged her?

I miss my youth

When girls thought I was BAD!

And I gave my friends all that I had.

A Peek into the past shows me,

And surely you’ll agree,

That happiness is born in family.

Now I’m adult, but still carry

A little of my youth with me,

To show how to laugh

And love my kids.

MY MIDNIGHT MIND

Well, here I am again, Lord,

In the middle of the night,

Waiting for your instructions,

I’ve picked up my pen

And I’m starting to write,

But it’s not flowing very fast tonight.

Yes Lord, I know that you love me,

And I’m very grateful, too.

You love our children and their kids,

Our barnyard of friends,

And all those in the woods

Yes, I’ll tell anyone who will listen.

Sure Lord, I will pass on the word

That you’re waiting for us all.

But, Lord, You know that some will laugh

And say I’m a nut,

Say that you don’t talk to me,

But we know differently, don’t we?

I know Lord; you’ll talk to anyone,

If they’ll just sit still and listen

Give me the means of spreading Your Word

(Passing it on, I mean)

The Good News of your Word

JANUARY

A WINTRY DAY

A terrible tantrum was throwed,

The weather was really fierce;

The white stuff continually snowed;

The roiling clouds were dark grey,

And tornadic winds just blowed!

I tried walking upright, but the leaves and dirt were thrown

Against my face and legs

While before snow was snown;

The landscape was coming undone

And my clothes against me were all blown.

The kids all out in the schoolyard

Many, many snowballs threw;

While the whole world was turning white

And the flakes just snew and snew

The wind chill fell below zero

And winter wind just blew and blew!

NO FAILURE AM I

You always told me that I failed,

Said I couldn’t do things right. And that time that you were jailed

You told me that I never fight

For you, or anything you say or do.

I used to think that what you said

Was true, that I was a bad wife,

But you were messing with my head.

Now I’m starting to get my life

Back together, no thanks to you.

You used all your uncertainties,

Piled me with blame upon blame

More than once you knocked me to my knees!

Shame? No, you have no shame—

No remorse or even conscience.

And now I’m not beneath your spell!

I’m free—I’ve been delivered!

I know that I won’t go to Hell!

Like a new-hatched baby bird,

Of life I have a brand new view!

No failure am I!

That’s your apple pie.

Praise God!

FINE FISHING?

My husband fell into the lake last night

With two of his neighbor friends,

One an old man, and the other a young boy,

Not knowing if either could swim.

They started out on a nice afternoon

To go fishing, and caught quite a few.

But somebody goofed, and over they went

In the drink—and they got all wet!

They lost all their gear-and, OH!

All their fish, with which we looked forward to.

The lawn chair is gone, and Mister Green’s teeth

He’d removed to chew on his Skoal.

They hovered there by the overturned boat

In the lake, and shouted for help.

Finally, someone came out and helped them

Ashore, after (it seemed like) hours.

The phone call came in about ten-fifteen-

"I’m back, but I surely am wet

We’re all o.k., and cold as can be.

Some hot soup would really be keen."

PERSONAL INTERVIEW

He said,

Tell me about your spouse

She saw red.

You mean that double dealing louse?

He said

I think you’re prejudiced.

Her mouth led,

I’ll tell you all, if you insist.

He said

How many kids have you?

She counted,

Two girls and a fifty year old, too.

He said

Were you ever in love?

She chuckled,

It seemed hotter than a cook stove.

He asked,

Are you retired now, ma’am?

She got tickled,

As much as a woman can, I am.

PERSONAL INTERVIEW 2

He inquired,

Do you enjoy life, now?

She declared,

I now have no more fields to plow.

He wanted to know,

"Do