kathee's klassics

By kathee

The author began writing songs and poems at an early age while growing up on a farm in rural Southeastern Kentucky. Elementary and high school teachers encouraged her writing, as did her college professors in later years. Throughout her career, this writing talent was effectively utilized for the benefit of both her own career and for her employers.

While material for the poetry often came from personal experiences and feelings, poems were also written based on expressed feelings and experiences of other people. Often, friends and family would request that she write a special poem for them which would portray their own life experiences. Some poems were just written from an idea that came to mind so rapidly that the words were written in shorthand to be transcribed later. The author feels very blessed to have the writing talent and to have the opportunity to share this talent with others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781638815945

Book preview

kathee’s klassics

kathee

Copyright © 2022 kathee

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2022

ISBN 978-1-63881-593-8 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63881-594-5 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

This book of poetry, kathee’s klassics, is a compilation of poems written over a period of many years. A second book will be coming out within one year. This book is dedicated to my parents, Roy and Flora Mae Hurst Brown (both deceased) of Quail KY; to my dear husband, Charles Albert Staton (deceased) of Greenville NC; to my two daughters, son-in-law, and granddaughter, Keith and Michelle Briley of Greenville NC, and Renee Staton and her daughter, Alicia Michelle, of Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Contents

Acknowledgments

His Mother’s Last Visit

Ginger’s Journey Home

Out of All the Loves (That Could Have Been)

Our Last Visit Home

Climbing Life’s Ladder

The House of the Demons

A Prayer for Our Nation

A Memory in My Heart

We Have a Choice

His Last Goodbye

The Town Gathering

A Walk in the Night

Gingerbread My Pet

When I Know You Love Me

The Man with the Gun

Memory of Our Day by the Sea

’Til One Is Called Home

Sunsets and Dreams

A Ladder to the Sky

Thank You for the Memories

The Boy Waiting at Home

I Believed in a Smile, So Smile for Me Today

Life’s Stages

The Road We Walked Together

Coloring My World

A Portrait of Our Father

He Gave Me Life

Forever in My Life

Your Dad Is Waiting There for Me

When You Need Me

Dear Soldier of Mine

The Hill of Marriage, an Analogy

Someday You’ll Grow Up

Ginger

My Traveling Companion

I’m Sorry You’re Not Here with Me

Till You Get to the End of Your Line

Darling, I’ve Come Home

Our Last Goodbye

Their Child’s Goodbye

Like a Beautiful Song

The Man Our Town Adopted

A Mother’s Last Goodbye

Forever Love

Thank You, My Darling

Young Love, Older Love

Forever Let It Be

Into My Life

My Fate for 2008

Love Was Just a Memory (Until You Came Along)

I’ll Always See Your Face

Just Where I Want to Be

Farewell, My friend

After I’m Gone, My Love

My Grandma’s Rocking Chair

A Letter to My Angels

My Uncle’s Visits to the Farm

I’m So Thankful for You, My Pet

Tell Me Now

The Nest

I Know You Hear My Whisper of Love

I Came Home Today—Did You See Me?

I’ll Love You Until

Was It Just a Dream?

The Cry of the Barren Tree

Old Rex

A Mother’s Gift of Love

Her Final Mile

My Mirror

In the Darkness of the Night, You’re with Me

On This Our Wedding Day

If I Could Cast a Spell

Every Day and Night (I’m with You)

A Portrait of Daddy

To You Our Children

Do You Ever Think of Me?

Thank You to My Mother-in-Law, Bettie Ruth Staton

Afraid to Say I Love You

Why Can’t You Grow Up (To Become a Man)

It’s Time to Say Goodbye

This Telephone Call Is Goodbye

Acceptance

Please Understand, My Love

Kiss Me

Before You Say Goodnight

Keep Me Forever, My Darling

Never in a Lifetime Could I Have Hoped

In the Shadows

You Closed the Door to Love

A Letter to Our Angel

Side by Side

A Final Tribute to Our Mother

A Stranger’s Visit

Remembering You, Friend

To an Angel, Our Mammaw

A Collection of Poems Written between Ages 12–16 (1951–1957)

The Beggar

Day ls O’er

Only

At Day’s End

Since You Are Gone

A Cry for Home

Our Earthly Pathway Leads to the Seashore

Plucking Sweet Memories

Snowflakes and Blue Winter

Beautification

Going A’fishing

At End of Day

The Little Orphan Girl’s Happiness

To America’s Heroes

At Morning’s Awakening

Reward

A Child’s Farm Memory

I’ll Be Up There Someday

Hand in Hand, Midst the Trees

Take Time

Just Try Pretending

Our 4-H Club Trophy

A Child’s View of Kentucky

Faded Out

When

The Storm

Toward a Lovely Flame

To My Teenage Love

The Amnesia Victim

To My Loved One, I Give

Darling, Your Love

A Child’s Garden

A Lament of the Homeless

Turn to God When

Acknowledgments

In addition to my own personal pictures within this book, I appreciate the following two illustrators who contributed artwork:

Shivani A. Lalla Roopnarine (SALR) OF Davie FL, for her beautiful illustrations which she so kindly designed especially for this book. She is an excellent artist, and I am honored to have her work included.

Michelle Staton Briley of Greenville NC, for her assistance in also designing beautiful illustrations. I am thankful that she shared some of her work for the book.

His Mother’s Last Visit

(To the Old Homeplace)

His mother quietly asked

with a tear falling on her face

if he had just a little time

to take her to the old homeplace.

The request didn’t seem odd—

he had expected this before,

so he took her by the hand

and walked slowly to the door.

The drive was rather long,

but as they drove through the countryside,

he slowed the car so she could look,

and he saw her eyes grow wide.

She seemed so deep in thought,

as she sat there quiet and still.

Occasionally he saw her face

as her eyes with tears would fill.

At last they arrived at the lane

that led to the old homeplace.

She spoke with a softness he knew,

and a happiness filled her face.

He led her up the path,

past the trellis he remembered well.

He could almost smell the roses that covered it

when there the family dwelled.

But the roses bad long since gone,

and the trellis was rotting away,

but his mother was the roses,

as they had been in another day.

The steps to the porch were crumbling,

so he lifted her with gentle care.

The memories began to flood him too—

oh, the happy times he’d spent there.

The old family swing still hung

from the porch roof with a heavy chain.

His father had built it long ago,

to shield them from the rain.

She slowly walked across

the porch to the faded swing.

For a moment, she sat there quietly—

then, as long ago, he heard her sing.

She sang a song he remembered,

sitting with his father there,

while he and his dog had played—

oh, the memories he could share!

At last, she held out her hand

and said Son, let’s go inside.

The look on her face as they entered

was one she could not hide.

She removed her hand from his

and, with very slow steps, she traced

the barren rooms one by one,

sharing memories time didn’t erase.

Often, he saw the tears

running freely down her face,

but he knew they weren’t just sad—

but happy memories of the old homeplace.

She took one final look,

then he walked her toward the door.

Somehow, he knew she was thinking

she would not visit anymore.

He lifted her from the porch—

gently to the ground,

but he knew there was one more request

before they were homeward bound.

She held up her frail and tiny hand—