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Poet’s Corner

By Staff | Mar 21, 2007

Editor’s note: This week’s poets are former Tonganoxie area resident Asa Kesinger, who lives in Lawrence, and Mike Vestal, Tonganoxie. The first three poems are by Kesinger.

Our Country Cottage

Our honeymoon has long been over
Since we became man and wife
We’re fixing up the old homestead
Farming and enjoying country life

Farming is an interesting occupation
Always busy, you might say
Yet time to help friend or neighbor
And always time to pray

We work the fertile soil
And plant the tiny seeds
Then work like little beavers
To control the ugly weeds

We can the fruit and mend the fence
And rake the new mown hay
We’ve seen both drought and flood
Take our crops away

As we sit around the fireplace
And watch the sparks scamper up the flue
We discuss our task together
Just what we plan to do

We love to visit your beautiful city
And see the lights of red, yellow and green
But the landscape around our country cottage
Is nature’s beauty you’ve never seen

To see the early-morning sun
Cast its rays of light
And hear the song of the birds
Or see them in their flight

To hear the roosters crowing
At the break of day
And see the cattle grazing
On a hill slope far away

Within our country cottage
That we so faithfully share
There’s a treasure chest of memories
That we have hid here and there

Our picturesque country cottage
That we so much adore
And all our trust within the Lord
We ask for nothing more

Little Joe

Joe was very little
Too small the team would say
Always in the dugout
Seldom a chance to play

One run was all they needed
And wouldn’t you know
The next one to bat
Would be Little Joe

Take him out
And put another in
We then would have
A better chance to win

Joe picked up a bat
And the rosin bag too
Then knocked out the dirt
From the spikes of his shoe

He laid down a bunt
And beat it out
We’ll double him off
Was their shout

He looked the pitcher
Straight in the eye
Now don’t let me steal
Was their cry

He ran for a second
And slid for the bag
The throw was high
And they missed the tag

We’ll get you yet
The shortstop hissed
But he went to third
On a ball the catcher missed

Beginning the windup

Joe took a big lead
Then ran for home
Going at top speed

The pitch was low
And the tag was late
Little Joe was safe
As he slid on home plate

The game was over
They won that day
And all because
They let Little Joe play

The Old Picture Frame
At a public auction
That I was at one day
I saw an old picture frame
And heard the auctioneer say

Three dollars is the bid
Would anyone give more
A hand was raised high
And the bid then went to four

That’s no bargain
I heard a stranger say
That frame is very old
And soon will decay

A boy continued bidding
With his hand raised high
For that old picture frame
He was determined to buy

Do I hear another bid
Was the auctioneer’s yell
And with the gavel in his hand
I’m going to sell

The boy walked forward
From his crowded place
And took the old picture frame
With smile upon his face

Said he, to the stranger
This old frame that I hold
Is worth more to me
Than its weight in gold

‘Tis true it has no beauty
And it looks old and bad
But the picture within it
Is my mother and dad

Vestal wrote the following poem in honor of Larry and Kathleen Smith’s 50th wedding anniversary:

Your Golden Anniversary

Larry & Kathleen were meant to be,
God brought them together, it’s plain to see.
They were very young, but so much in love,
They were married and blessed by the Lord above….

Larry & Kathleen had two handsome boys,
Their children are; their pride, their joy.
They grew up to be very outstanding men
Because of the love Larry and Kathleen had given them.

A few years later grandchildren they were given,
Those little children were a gift from heaven.
Grandchildren brought Larry & Kathleen such joy and laughter,
Helped them both live happily ever after….

I think the world of both of you
You’re a special couple through & through.
We all gather together this your special day,
Helping you celebrate your Golden Anniversary today…