Memories and Secrets

By Brigitte Elko

Life is an exciting journey. It is with great pleasure that I share my adventures with you, the reader. Within these pages, you will find nostalgic, faith inspired, and funny works of poetry and nonfiction short stories. Writing reveals your deepest emotions and secrets.

At the end of the book, there is a section just for you personally. On these blank pages, I invite you to jot down your inspired thoughts and reactions to my selections. You looked into my soul by reading my words. Sharing secret thoughts through writing is powerful. At the end of this book, you will find empty pages for you to write on. The title of this book is a deliberate encouragement for you to contribute your memories and secrets to keep on your bookshelf.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781543482430

Brigitte Elko

Brigitte Elko, a retired school teacher, has become a passionate published author. She has been the recipient of numerous awards for poetry and short stories. Her works include, Apples Holes Ants and Bees but NO Blankie, a children's book which has been recently released. A sequel to this delightful story is forth coming. In this book, her writing is personal and takes the reader down a path that inspires bonding through the written word. She has been motivated to write from the heart and the imagination to leave a legacy in print. Faith, family, and friends have made it possible for her to continue spreading joy, faith, laughter, and love to readers through her writing. God's love has enveloped this author's heart and mind with inspiration. She invites the reader to accompany her as her life's journey is revealed in her non-fiction stories. As a poet, she reveals tragedies and also provides humor that can be shared with children. Her philosophy is a simple one which she hopes that readers will adopt. "Memories fade but written words are etched on a page, forever, for future generations."

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 by Brigitte Elko.

Library of Congress Control Number:           2018901389

ISBN:                     Hardcover                               978-1-5434-8245-4

                              Softcover                                 978-1-5434-8244-7

                              eBook                                       978-1-5434-8243-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 01/31/2018

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

773525

CONTENTS

Preface

SECTION 1

Poetry

Brigitte

Friendship

Sign of the Times

ABD—My Alphabet

God’s Breath

The Loss of a Pet

The Reflection

The Woman

My Papa’s Waltz

Papa, Can You Hear My Tune?

What’s Death? Tommy Wants to Know

The Coffin

Pebbles to Stones

Faded Beauty

Autumn Eve

Love’s Ecstasy

Let My Baby Brother Out

A Mouse’s Fate

Ellie

Late for Work

A Bathroom Buddy

The Freaky Pick-up Line

The Birthday Cake

An Advertisement for a Governor

Grandma’s House

The Doghouse

SECTION 2

Non-fiction Stories

Tractor Driving—by Permit Only

A Farmwife’s Spring

A Wedding Ring Made My Farmer Husband a Statistic

A Letter to Elizabeth

The Me You Don’t See

Did You Hear That?

A Glimpse into Married Life

Making Memories

SECTION 3

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This

book is dedicated to my lovely granddaughter, Abby, whose encouragement and inspiration prompted me to write this book.

May my legacy be set in print for her and others to enjoy for years to come. It was written with all the love imaginable and a passion for life reflected in print. My memories and secrets are revealed in this book with poems and stories from my heart and some from my imagination.

This author invites you to write and add your memories, secrets, and any reactions to what you have read into this book.

Become a part of this book by sharing your thoughts in your