Chapter II: Part 2

When you wear a frown, from day to day,
Having no regards for the right I’ll say
Seeking your company without a thought,
And deafening your ears to what mother has taught,
This puts a shadow on the beauty of life.

If there sits before you a glass that bubbles,
It means you only sorrow and troubles,
’Twill take you to the late hours at night
And start your longing for wonderful sights.
Then a shadow is on the beauty of life.

If you ne’er look before you leap
In trying to get money by the heap,
To lengthen joy rides in beautiful cars,
Soon you will land behind the bars,
This spreads a shadow on the beauty of life.

If you’re easy persuaded in doing wrong
Your heart will pay with a little sad song,
When company isn’t right, travel alone.
Then ask God to give you a mind of your own,
And you’ll never shadow the beauty of life.

HAPPY AND SORROW

Each happy thought may be followed by sorrow,
It can steal away your smiles for to-morrow.
The hours we are happy to our lives means a goal,
Value happy thoughts for we are fast growing old,
Walk a narrow path and from happiness borrow,
For happiness could change in the next hour
Then sorrow, like rainfall, could pour in showers.

THE SHAWL OF SIN

Oh! sinful shawl
That holds me tight,
Were you off my shoulders
I’d be straight from this night.

My sorrow’s too great
To e’er be told.
I being so weak
And easy to infold.

You have taken my strength
And let me fall.
May this be a lesson
To us one and all.

NATURE

When the sun goes down in the Golden West,
Night blankets all nature at rest.
Far in the east, creeps up the silvery moon,
The night birds then begin to spoon.

A heart that is a dangerous one
Is a heart that cannot hold a secret.

Fate rules, time brings about
All of God’s blessing that’s in store for us.

A restful night makes bright the morn,
This leads on to endless joy
Making life worth while.

DEMOCRACY

War is over, peace is signed,
Will the colored man be in the place he used to find?
Well, he really should not for in the war he was true
And he’s waiting now to see what Democracy will do.
Stand up! America, you’re the land of the noble and free,
But you’re letting other countries mention things you ought to see.
Oh! but we will live in hopes without a thought of feeling blue,
But remember our little children knows what Democracy ought to do.
Now to be frank, with you America and other countries know
Just how you treat the colored man, with that awful old jimcrow.
We can be intelligent, dressed sufficient, when we walk in,
As a rule we are grossly insulted on the account of the color of skin.

I had a dream, America, just a dream of you.
But I hope it was a nightmare only passing through.
I saw you in another war, cannons roared, before declared,
But if I were you I’d stay at home and clean my own golden stairs.
Oh, but we will praise the Lord, from whom all blessings flow and sing
And watch that word Democracy, for we know what it ought to bring.

Give your time and thought
To the better side of life.

BREATH OF LOVE

Moments by moments, hours by hours,
Your love in my heart just pours in showers.
Breath of love.
Breath by breath, smile by smile,
May your love bring to my heart no vile
Breath of love.
Word by word, to ease by ease,
My love is all yours to treat as you please.
Breath of love.
Side by side, hand in hand,
Pure love, sweet love, will always stand.

THE CONVICT

Cling, clang, the anvil rang
Behind the prison walls a convict sang
A song of his innocence as he worked away,
And for keeping bad company this was his pay.

He was coaxed by mother, sister and brother
Before the handcuffs came,
But now he’s clothed in a little striped suit,
And to face the world again he’s ashamed.

Life is so short, death sleep is so long,
Think kind of me now not after I’m gone.

Steal not from yourself nowadays
For your work is your boss.

ALWAYS

There’s always a look in your eyes,
There’s always a rose in your smile,
Could there be a feeling in your heart
To my life that means worth while.

There’s always times I long for you,
There’s always times I feel sad.
I wonder if those times could be brightened
To make my poor heart glad.

There’s always my golden dreams,
There’s always my thoughts of love,
And you are a tender blessing dear
That flowed from the heavens above.

There’s always a cloudy day,
There’s always a little sunshine,
But there would be no cloudy ones
If you’ll promise to be mine.

ALL

All, to our lives is pure sweet love
All, in a day it can grow,
All, in a moment it can leave us,
All, of us don’t think so.

All, of our thoughts of happiness,
All, of our smiles in between,
All, could be dead by tomorrow,
All, could be love’s saddest scene.

Our lives are passing ne’er to repass,
Quoting these words to memory
Could save your soul.

FADED LOVE

Gone art your love, that I once knew,
It faded like a rose for the want of dew,
But God bless you, dear,
From sorrow and care.
But there lies memories of your faded love.

Though I’ll go along life’s gay way,
Plucking the roses of a bright summer’s day.
Weakened but guided by the Savior above,
But still there’s memories of your faded love.

Enchanted in my heart were you so strong
I never dreamed fate could guide you wrong.
From the wilderness came the mourn of a dove,
It knows the sad story of your faded love.

Onward to me the years may fly
But not relieved of my tears and sighs.
Remember I held you with my little golden gloves
Till the distant times brought your faded love.

WHERE THE SUN NE’ER KISSED

Back o’er the mountain
Where the sun ne’er shines
Was left a snow drift
From winter time.
In this lonely little spot
Where nothing will grow
The warm summer winds
Ne’er melts the snow.

THE BREATH OF A ROSE

You have a soul as tender as the breath of a rose,
Each day my life’s worth living as our love grows and grows,
There never shone a star as bright, no sweeter words
could have come to light.

And there’s a compensation to you life owes,
For your soul being as tender as the breath of a rose,
And the coldest night the winter wind blows
In my heart’s a humming that no one knows.

My love for you just gently flows,
While I sit and think of the words to compose.
May always your soul be tender
As the breath of a rose.

THE WILD ROSE

The little wild rose
I gave to you
’Tis a token of my love,
Will you be true?

It was losing its petals,
For autumn was near,
But love so humble,
For you my dear.

If all through life
This rose could speak,
’Twould strengthen our love
Should it e’er grow weak.

A SONG OF A BROKEN HEART

Just as many days that my heart has broken
I will count and hold as love’s sad token,
But just the way my heart is aching
Some day you’ll love, then you’ll be forsaken.
You may be happy for a time, in a way,
But fate will overrule, then you’re sure to pay,
And when that time comes you’ll sit and look in space.
In each, and every vision, will be my broken-hearted face.
Then you will see and solemnly plead
To have the time shortened, my heart did bleed.
But remember when you’re playing with the game of love
You can fool many a body, but think whose above.

THE END OF LIFE

Our lives is like a ball of twine,
Day by day it unwinds,
As if tied to a reel that you turn and turn;
This is what every soul should learn.
Who only knows where the end will appear
On this tiny little string holding life so dear.
Above is our judge to handle this case,
We know not when the time, nor space
Being numbered in moments, days, hours, and years,
Save us, Oh! Lord, as the time draws near;
And when the end cometh its the work of our God
Then forever we’ll sleep beneath the sod.

Blessed art the ones
Whom our Father crowns.
But lost art the ones
Whom seeketh and ne’er found.

A POET’S DARK DAY

Listen to the humble words
That a down-hearted poet did write;
He was in a world of darkness
And could not see no light.

His mind was on one person,
But his soul was somewhat chilled,
Though he’d smile when spoken to,
For this was just his build.

Maybe his mind is traveling,
Is why he looks in space,
His heart is loving some one,
His actions proves the case.

But soon his thoughts will change
To sunshine or maybe flowers,
Then with joy he’ll sit and write
For hours after hours.

A poet has many a thought
That come and go each day,
He dwells in the land of beautiful scenes,
Though some are a thousand miles away.

His sweetest thoughts is tender love,
His next is the breath of a rose,
And oh! how the two, gladdens hearts
When their souls are reposed.

Drink not of a bottle
That has sparkling bubbles,
This habit once formed
Means a world of trouble.

MY THOUGHTS OF YOU

Here are my thoughts
Of you, little friend,
As I pass your gate
And gently look in.

Your rose-bloomed face
And tender smile
To any one living,
They’re really worth while.

You always seem gay
As the days are long,
In your heart there must hum
A sweet love song.

This tells the story
Just as you look,
My thoughts of you
Will be in a book.

GOOD SPIRIT

Oh! dwell with me good spirit
In my heart let there ring
Love for all of God’s creation
Flow from my lips when I sing.

Deep in my heart
Let joy be known
And more love for our Father
Whom sitteth on the throne.

You have a moment to think,
And an hour to act, this reversed
Could mean you harm.

A POET’S POWER

Sleep, dearest one, sleep,
May you dream of bright fond love
This poem that I write of you
Is sent from the heavens above.

And o’er you will soar an angel
With golden wings, ’twill fan your brow,
My love for you in heaven’s record,
Be humble to our Savior for this blessing he allows.

This angel will guide you o’er
A path in which you may sin,
But let our tender thoughts be of each other
From the beginning to the end.

At times you may sit and wonder
Why you want me dear,
I being born unfortunately poor,
But the power in my writing holds you near.

ROUGH ROAD

My heart beats weak
But my thoughts strong,
Jogging up the road to success,
And my strength has left me so,
But I never stop to rest.

We are born in this world
With burdens laid out
To shoulder as the years go by.

A POET’S THOUGHTS

A poet’s thoughts are as deep
As the old sad sea,
And he holds love for his work
That will always be.

A joy to his heart
That comes in dreams, sweet dreams,
And he’s a humble fellow,
Just as humble as he seems.

His heart is very tender
And this is easy explained,
For he’s always thinking
To relieve, some heart of it’s pain.

Night and day he labors,
With gift he loves so well,
And when he’ll ever tire,
Time, can only tell.

WHAT WE GET

The early bird gets the worm,
The wise man gets the money,
Jack Frost gets the autumn leaves,
The little bee gets the honey.
The working man gets his meals (sometimes)
The doctor gets his calls
But what’s the use in worrying, friends,
The graveyard gets us all.

HIDDEN THOUGHTS

Isn’t it hard to drive back your feelings
When therein shines a smile,
For the one whom you love so dearly,
And their life could mean you worth while.

But drive it back secret love,
Into a day of darkness and rain,
You hold the wrath of deep sighing,
And to our hearts, you bring racking pain.

It hangs heavily on mind,
And its stealing what nature has given.
Oh! why does fate, with this bad omen
Hold this torturing, in which we live?

THE BEE AND THE ROSE

Good bye, honey bee, you gathered from me
Honey the whole summer long,
But autumn’s here to take me home.
Now I’ll lose the sound of your song,
But go to your nest
And dream of the past.
When winter goes by
Spring returns fast.
Then I’ll return, too,
And open my buds,
Then the loving, tender breeze,
With my fragrance will flood.

EASTER GREETING

(To my wife Ruby)

When I think of the day
That we’re to part,
It brings a deep sigh
That weakens my heart.

Then it leaves my mind
So roamsome and blue,
For there’s my love
In memory of you.

In the heart of these roses
With their petals so gay
Is my love most tender,
With each breath they’ll spray.

Here’s solemn hopes
With love so true,
May these roses touch your heart
Through and through.

And when their petals wither
To blow on the breeze,
Remember love is deeper
Than any place in the seas.

A DIFFERENCE

We are strong in some things
And weak in another;
We are not all alike,
There is a difference in brothers.

MILDRED AND MARIE

The night was still,
No sounds could be heard,
But soon came voices
Sweet as a bird.

I arose from my bed
To find who it could be.
’Twas my deceased sisters,
Mildred and Marie.

Oh! how beautiful
Was their golden wings,
With music in their voices
That the living can’t sing.

They told of the heavens
So sweetly to me,
And tell mother you were visited
By Mildred and Marie.

LOVE DREAM

The rose of my life
Were in bloom it seems,
When I saw your face
In my golden dreams.

It cleansed my thoughts
So sweet and bright,
I ne’er wanted to awake
Out of my slumbers that night.

SADNESS

Oh! torturing sadness, why burden me now?
Hide behind those unhappy thoughts that’s the cause of my broken vow,
You build around me those death chilled walls,
Leaving no sunshine in,
But fate is the cause in letting me fall
Deep into this untold sin.

But I’ll take you with a smile,
It matters not where’er I be
I’ll stand my ground like a man
If you’re rough as the water of the mad rushing sea.

THERE MUST BE

When we lie down
On our couch to rest,
Our conscience must be clear
To be heavenly blessed.

Then smile, oh gentle Savior,
As you pass on into sleep,
Then somewhere in slumber land
You may holy creep.

There your sins are washed away,
And replaced by golden wings,
Oh, think what you’ll enjoy
To hear the heaven’s choir sing.

Isn’t it hard to give
Your heart and soul
For the one you’d die to let live,
When day by day they are growing cold.

MY DAILY PRAYER

Oh, Lord, teach me from day to day
To dwell in the path
Along the righteous way.
Remove my thoughts
Of riches and gold,
For this so many
Have traded their souls.

THE THOUGHT OF A HUSBAND

Each moment you frown
You’re stealing from your life,
And at times you break the heart
Of a dear sweet wife.

One’s greatest fancy is a smile
And love’s brightest way is hope,
Then time’s golden entrance is patience.

Though the years to us may come and go,
But out of my memory ne’er can flow
The ring I gave you that spoke in silence
For you it held you, but for me violence.

A wicked thought is easy bought,
But values nothing in gold.
So read this verse between times,
And let righteousness into your soul.

MY LIKES

I like all nature’s beauty,
I like to rove the wild wood,
My heart likes to hold in its depth,
I like only thoughts that are good.

True like the sun does shine,
Aloud like the bells do ring,
Joy like my heart loves,
It likes a little song to sing.

Nice, like a sweet summer’s eve,
Tender, like the breezes do blow,
My heart likes to love some one,
It likes a place to go.

Who likes a day of sorrow?
Who likes untold, displeasure?
My heart likes all happiness,
And it likes a real full measure.

I like but a little company,
I like but a little sight,
My heart likes to be at ease,
It likes to feel, what I write.

TO ALL

In your heart
Let silence find a place,
Then be guided by your conscience
And you’re always safe.

UNACQUAINTED

I’d love to know
Your real full name.
’Twould be pleasure to write
Your beauty and fame.

I’d write on the value
Of you in which I hold,
Why it could ne’er be bought
With Rockefeller’s gold.

Indeed you’re a blessing
From the heavens above,
And all would be bright
If I had your love.

And while sweet breezes blow
Over life’s rough way,
I could sit and write your name
In my humble essays.

A SMILE

Every smiling face,
Or even jolly motions,
Doesn’t prove that one’s sorrows
Are not deeper than the ocean.

But there is great value, in a smile,
It can save a poor man’s life,
When I go home it’s worth while,
For I meet a smiling wife.

MOTHER’S DAY

I received a flower
On the twelfth of May,
It was a token
Of Mother’s day.

With petals snow-white
And fragrance so sweet,
Thou art my hope
That in heaven we’ll meet.

My mind wandered back
In a childish way
My soul then reposed!
But seemed to say:

Oh! the spirit spoke
As I did pray,
In the heart of this flower
Shineth Mother’s day.

THE BIRDS THAT SING TO ME

All nature is happy this morning,
Oh! how they welcome the beautiful sun,
And those silver-throated fellows
Gives music until the day is done.

They bring to my heart so sweetly
A feeling I can hardly explain,
That travels on the breezes so tender,
With such a soothing refrain.

DREAM OF BYGONES

The peonies are in bloom,
Their perfume I adore,
Naught keeps me from dreaming
Of you for evermore.

The night is bright,
The dewdrops fall,
The night birds sing
With a distant call.

My heart then beats
In throbbing pain,
My eyes in tears,
My soul is strained.

Come tell me, dear,
If thy love’s dead,
Come raise me then
From sorrow’s bed.

WHENE’ER CONSCIENCE SPEAKS

Have you given this a thought,
If you haven’t you really ought.
This is what we all should know
And we do wrong when we don’t go
Whene’er conscience speaks.

Every man, woman, or child
When nearing trouble or something vile,
Should gently turn
And never yearn
Whene’er conscience speaks.

THE PLUCK OF A POET

For my little humble talent
I turn thanks to our God.
Though each time I try to show it
I meet with the world of odds.

Though He blessed me with my gift,
And He will bless me along the way,
He is giving me love and wisdom
And He will bring a brighter day.

These are words of a poor poet,
And what I write is true,
I long to go before the world
To try and show what I can do.

If one could only see me now,
My lips are numb, shows sorrow deep.
This is after my daily labor
That these thoughts through my mind does creep.

God gives me strength to work,
To earn my daily bread,
Then revives me for my writing
To show that my blood is red.

Why swell up o’er talent
Or activeness of brain?
God giveth and he taketh
As easy as it twinkles down rain.

LIFE PLAIN AS DAY

Life lays out its happiness and sorrows,
You’re to choose either for to-day or to-morrow,
We can be happy our whole life through
In regarding our company and the things we do.
Let the other fellow think what he will or may,
I’ll choose happiness, it really pays.
Life holds a beauty that shineth like gold,
Seek it while you’re young, don’t wait to get old.
Day by day it comes to us all,
So fly not so high, remember your fall.
One moment we’re up and the next we’re down,
Try to take the ladder without a frown.
For our lives are planned out with time and space
And we are truly guided by an unseen face.
The blossoms of life has petals so dear;
Then deal with them gently and handle with care,
There’s like the rose in the garden that blooms,
That gives to the breeze their wafted perfume,
But the way the frost makes its petals fly
This teaches us that we all must die.

ONE SAD MORN

In a lonely little village
Was the tolling of a bell.
Deep in our hearts
A sad story it tells.

Deceased our dear, old general
Who fought with heart so brave,
In honor of our land and country,
And stars and stripes to save.

MY VIEW

A poor shabby boy;
But an ambitious poet,
And in most appealing way
He’d love for the world to know it.

For now he sits and dreams
Of which he can’t depart,
And deep in his soul lies
That beautiful hidden art.

God gives him the power
And a clean mind to compose,
He gathers beauties from an unseen garden,
Where he dwells when his soul is reposed.

He has a high standard in thought
As the richest man of the day,
And wears a smile, though destitute
For this is just his way.

THE FADING ROSES

Here lies the roses that’s fading away,
With their memories of a brighter day;
Just like the heat, are withering them dear,
The loss of your love brings sorrow and care.
These roses go back to nature’s review,
They’ll regain their lives and bloom anew,
But if my poor heart could be repaired
With kindness of nature which roses are shared
’Twould remove all sorrow and enter sweet refrain
Then my heart would bud and bloom again.

FOR A WHILE

Could there ever be a day
That sorrow will cease and blow away,
May it travel to parts to me unknown,
That my heart have back a feeling of its own
For a while.

My heart has never quit its pining,
Each thought brings a silver lining,
And if you were near
’Twould ease my care
For a while.

No one knows why I sigh,
It’s love in my heart that cannot die,
Though now I regret
But cannot forget
For a while.

Now it seems like wasted years
To intermix with my bitter tears,
Though I’ve prayed to our God above
That He may return my only love.
For a while.

The beautiful stars in their glory
Has ceased to tell love’s sweet story,
They hide from me behind the clouds;
Will some one love me if my head is bowed?
For a while.

There’s nothing more beautiful than a smile
If it’s really meant from the heart.

HEARTS THAT ARE TRUE

Love when young and tender
Should pick its place to go;
Beware of hearts that deceive
For there, ’twill cease to grow.

Then hearts that are true
Beat just as one,
With a soulful tender feeling,
Till love’s bright day is done.

Hearts that are true,
And when they cross the river of Jordan
To answer to their rights and wrongs,
That sweet word love will be in golden letters
And will be sung in a beautiful song.

MY LOVE FOR YOU

How can I forget
What I have to regret
When there in my dreams
It just flows in streams
And tells a story so true,
That’s making me feel blue,
Why it’s my love, my love for you.

Your eyes, with beauty so rare,
No diamond could shine as fair.
But I’ll watch and pray
For that sweet day in May.
So return your love anew,
You have mine and it is all for you.

MY LOVE

My work for my race
Will always be
Tireless toil
To make them proud of me.

Now if we all work
To this one point,
Strong will be our union,
No nation could break the joint.

Just think! of all of us trying
To make one another proud,
Why the little stars in their glory
Would almost speak aloud.

Then they’d shine brighter and brighter,
And with love, they’d light the way,
For the race that is loving to each other
There is sure to come a better day.

EVE DROPPER

The rose that bloomed
On veranda side,
Heard love’s sweet story
When first untied.

These hearts traveled
Through the distant years,
To join each other
In their sighs and tears.

MY DEAR BELOVED MOTHER

Beside me walks an unseen face
That guides me daily from place to place,
And has love for me, like that of no other,
This guide, tender guide, is my dear beloved mother.

She goes with me through rain or shine,
Like the fortunate leads the unfortunate blind,
And when I am lonely for a sister or brother,
There’s the cheering thoughts of my dear beloved mother.

Of course she’s in the spirit land,
But she walks with me daily hand in hand,
And when I’m asleep she’s o’er my bed,
That sin may go no farther.
Now this teaches us of that mighty love
We have in a dear beloved mother.

HIS LAST HOUR

Oh! mighty Savior,
Cometh my last day,
And the sound of the golden trumpet
My sins bloweth away.

Glory to thy name
As I breathe my last breath,
Repenteth all whom love him now,
Not at the door of death.

Each and every moment
His name to me is all
Those whom are standing by my dying bed,
Remember the trumpet’s last call.

IF I DARE

I’ll sing a little song
Of you dear one,
’Twill be long as the day
And bright like the sun
If I dare.

I’ll gather from the garden
This big red rose
To kiss your cheeks
While sweet breezes blow
If I dare.

Your face is ne’er out of my dreams
Deep in my heart sweet memories bring,
Oh! I will love you, dear, you only,
Till death with bitterness bring
If I dare.

My mind is with you
Though my eyes are in tears,
My heart is being pierced
With Cupid’s golden spear,
But yet I’d return
If I dare.

Oh! how sad with you
Were my past,
The present was sweet
So long as it lasts.

JUST NOW

No one knows, and no one sees,
No one gives my heart any ease,
Just now.

If I could speak to the one I love
My heart would lose that feeling that makes me mourn like a dove,
Just now.

Once you shadowed me in my dreams,
But that, too, is gone it really seems,
Just now.

The years are bringing my sorrow fast
And my wakeful nights won’t come to their last,
Just now.

THE VOICE OF A ROSE

The rose that spoke
To her dying soul
Is the rose ne’er let
Our love grow cold.

With each breath
She’d sigh and say,
This rose tells me
There’s a brighter day.

And when that rose
Begins to die,
She’d kiss its petals,
Then tenderly cry.

A PHOTO

If I only had a photo
Of my happy days
To hang on this wall of misery,
That’s weakening my better ways.

Oh! come, oh! gentle vision,
Of long, long ago,
And make that happy picture
That I once use to know.

Paint those beautiful eyes,
That did always shine
And liven my trembling lips
That they taught to speak words unkind.

Why my lips us to part
With a loving, tender smile,
But those days are stolen
That meant me life worth while.

GOOD FATE

On a dark and stormy night
Far ahead shined a little light,
It was a warning
With sorrow dawning,
For the train that approached.
Fastly into sight
Towards the bridge that held ill fate
The flagman awakened but a moment to late,
For there flowed through a madly stream
Lifting the bridge clear off its beam.
All in a moment the engine ran out of steam
And spying there ahead no light could be seen.
Speaking to the fireman the engineer said,
It’s a heavenly blessing our engine ran dead.

SPRINGTIME

The birds are singing
While nature is bringing,
All of its beauty to show.
The little wild flowers
With sunshine and showers
Are the things that we love so.

They gladden our hearts
And strengthen our souls,
Making life seem young
To those growing old.

There’s the beautiful budding
Of the dogwood trees,
It’s a shaking and waking
For the little honey bees.

To let them know
That nature brought back
With a whole summer’s sweetness
In her blossoms its packed.

MY HEAVENLY THOUGHTS

Oh! heavenly Father,
To our souls give mirth,
Let dwell with us no evil spirit
While on this sinful earth.
Strengthen our weak and humble minds,
Through our hearts let righteousness flow,
Keep us away from worldly things,
For when Thou call we’re sure to go.

A POET’S PIER

A humble but ambitious poet
That writes on the beauties of life,
Is brilliantly guided onwards
By the love of his dear sweet wife.

In each and every thought
She is truly his golden pier.
She leads him on to untold success
Where he enjoys a brighter career.

Into a garden of roses
Where soft breezes blow,
There she’s always near him
To let his sweeter thoughts flow.

To her he gathers and gives
A beautiful big pink rose,
To show that his love’s still burning,
And for her it could ne’er repose.

And when he awakens out of his dreams
There is music to her ears,
For all the poems that he writes
He reads to his wifey dear.

WELCOME SPRING

On comes spring
With its loving breeze
Soon there’s the budding
Of the flowers and trees.

How my heart swells
When they begin to peep,
For I know they’re back
From their long winter’s sleep.

MY RUBY MONTROSE

As I sit and dream
On the water side,
My mind is traveling
Like the high rolling tide.
No matter how fast
Or where it goes
With it my thoughts
Of my Ruby Montrose.

No matter how dark
And stormy the night,
My mind still wanders
By my strong lovelight
Holding a secret
That nobody knows,
And guided by the thought
Of my Ruby Montrose.

Now I’ve gained her love renown,
The world will smile and cease to frown.
The summer breeze that always blows
Will refreshen the love of my Ruby Montrose.
I ne’er grow tired of the words I write,
They are my soul and my heart’s delight.
They hold more sweetness than any flower that grows,
For in them’s the thought of my Ruby Montrose.

BEAUTY AND UGLY

When beauty fades away
Ugly approaches soon,
But when ugly fades away
Our place is lost beneath the moon.

THE BLESSING OF GOD

Close not thy door
To the blessing of God,
Just e’er be humble
And spare the rod.
And when you see a friend
Downhearted and cold
Longing for the warmth
Of a spirited soul,
Just open the heart.
Though it may seem odd,
But to you will come the blessings
Of our own God.
No link or links tighter ties
Than those that are blending to the human lives,
Quote this to memory to have and to hold,
And liven up the spirit when you’re grown old,
And when on earth you’re done
Then you can rest beneath the sod,
For your door was always open
To the blessings of God.

SIXTY-ONE

Down on the southern plantation,
From sixty-one on back
Our forefathers were shackled in slavery,
And lived in huts and shacks,
But this shows they’re loyal
Hum, a negro as you glance,
But their grandsons are answering the roll call
Somewhere in France.

A VISION FROM THE FIRESIDE

Before the fire at night
When all was quite still,
I had nature’s sweetest dream,
And its beautiful old green hills.

Oh! that lovely photo,
That appeared in the little blue blaze
Showed summer with all its beauty
And how the cattle used to graze.

Then came a sigh,
Though followed by a smile,
For the summer’s balmy breeze
Made me feel like a child.

But dashed against the window
The chilly howling winds
That takes my vision in a snowdrift
And how my heart does pine.

THORNY LOVE

There’s a vision of your well known face,
Shining like my love that’s gone to waste.
I see your smiles as natural now,
And the way I loved you, for you taught me how.
Now I’m in a path that usually leads
Down to degradation.
My poor heart bleeds
When I think of our separation.

THE BATTLE OF HEARTS

Our hearts have met
On the battlefield of love,
Cupid is our general
In his aeroplane above.

But my poor heart’s
Crying for peace,
My love for you
Could ne’er decease.

And if fate guides the battle
So our hearts doesn’t blend,
Just picture how sad
Will be the end.

TO REMIND YOU

Just a tender missive dear
As the days are drifting by,
And oh! I see your smiling face
When e’er I look into the sky.

JUST TO REMIND YOU

Smiles always gladden my heart
As the years come and go;
And should I be the longest liver
They’ll ne’er be buried beneath the snow.

One day of sorrow
To a brilliant and happy mind
Tears down its concrete thoughts
To sail the ocean of brine.

THE SINKING SHIP

The winds howled o’er
The dashing sea,
The ship was foundered
At half past three.
The captain yelled,
Life boats lowered!
There was a noise
Like a cannon roar,
’Twas the boilers burst below.
Then said the captain
Brave but slow,
It’s too late, boys,
We all must go.

SPRING’S EASTER LILY

(To my wife Ruby)

By the walk way grew
Spring’s Easter lily
Wet with the morning dew,
But with love I gave to Billy.

Now there is your petals nice and yellow
And rich as the dripping of gold.
So why are you lonely, little fellow,
You’ve won me, heart and soul.

Would you love to be a little present
And one that isn’t silly
To the sweetest little pheasant
My dearest, darling Billy.

MY SHIP OF THOUGHTS

Anchored deep in mid ocean
Are my ship of thoughts,
I should sail out and get them,
That’s just what I ought.

For once they run smooth
With calmness of the sea,
Bringing all of love’s beauty
Back home to me.

In a mad rushing storm,
But she would stand as brave,
When each flash of lightning
Showed the depth of her grave.

There’s no lighthouse
To guide her in,
Nor to raise her anchor
From the wages of sin.

THE SOUL OF A BUD

A darling little maiden
So sweet, so fair,
With tiny dimples
And beauty so rare,
But I wonder if goodness knows
If she e’er could repose.

From the sweet loving manner
She gave me this rose,
Now this tiny little bud
Seems to whisper in my ear,
Saying hearts of hearts with tenderness
To one another are dear.

ONE’S NEXT BEST FRIEND

I was lost in the valley
All veiled with fog,
Back o’er the hill
Was a howl of a dog.
He was doing his bit
In trying to keep peace,
For his dear old master
Had just deceased.
In that old cabin
Was a dear little child;
The wolves rushed around
Madly and wild.
On came the morn,
But I’d grown pale.
The sun came up and
Removed the veil.
Then I jogged along
O’er the bumpy ground,
I stopped at this cabin
And there I found
A wonderful baby!
With eyes so bright
’Twould light the way
Through the darkest night.
From under the bed
Came a grunt of a hog,
I knelt and found
’Twas that little dog.

CREATION

We are all created by our Father above
And one’s no better than the other
When we keepeth His command.

HUMIN TU DE AIR

Raifield, yo aks like a ole time barh
Round heah a studen al in despah;
No Ise humin tu de air.
Stah clean awafum dat pot uv mine,
Caus when dah’s wok yo’s hard tu find.
Well, sur; ef he ain’t eten my pie I du declah,
I ges yo call dat a humin tu de air.
Yes, I members de uder dah
When Lindy Jones wus don dis wah
An yo all had a powful lot tu say,
Caus I no’s she am purty an mity fair,
But yo’ll lose yo home ef dats humin tu de air.
Now I want yo tu tucker an lef me go,
An don’t yo nebber cros my doah.
Yawll goner make one hungry pair
Caus yo can’t make a libben humin tu de air.

IN MY THOUGHTS OF YOU

Now I sit and look in space
My brightest hopes has gone to waste,
The rose of my dreams
Won’t bloom it seems
While my mind’s anchored deep
In my thoughts of you.

No one knows how my heart does ache,
No one sees my nights of wake.
The moon is hidden behind the clouds,
The stars peep through an all dark shroud
In my thoughts of you.

MY DEAREST DARLING RUBY

Fate had lost my treasure
In the valley of dehuby,
Time led on and there I found
My dearest, darling Ruby.
All my days I hunted in vain
Through ice, sleet, snow and rain.
And on the darkest day,
This was my pay,
My dearest, darling Ruby.
Only death can part us dear,
If away a moment it seems like a year,
Life for me would ne’er be bright,
The stars would fail to shine at night
Without my dearest, darling, Ruby.

HERE AND THERE

Here’s the rose, that bloomed in the spring,
There’s its petals flying.
Here’s my heart, that wants your love,
There like that flower, it is dying.

Here’s to a day, and its sunshine,
There to east is a cloud,
There in a moment, it could hide the sun,
Here all nature’s heads, will be bowed.

Here’s my thoughts of yesterday,
There’s my thoughts of tomorrow,
Here the ladder shows a brightness,
There goes sorrow.

Look on both
The bright and dark side of life
And there your faults may be found.

ONE SWEET DREAM

In looking way ahead
Into the distant time
So beautiful is my thoughts
If I can make them rhyme.

Long beside the road
Is a bungalow for two,
In my wonderful vision
’Twas built for me and you.

My heart was the hammer,
My soul clinched the nails,
’Twas finished with my love
To withstand the on coming gale.

DARLING EDNA MAY

(To Mr. and Mrs. Poindexter)

How sad was this Christmas,
Though for some ’twas a happy day,
But mourns a mother and father
For their darling Edna May.

But she’s gone on into glory
To soar the golden way,
She knows no sorrow like mother and father
For their darling Edna May.

Though on and on through the distant years,
When mother and father are old and gray,
Christmas brings saddest memories
Of their darling Edna May.

LIFE’S PRETTY WAY

Oh! how nice
When the sun is shining bright,
To take a long walk
While breezes blow light.

It revives your soul,
Your heart is gay
Strolling the road
Of life’s pretty way.

You’ll walk on the grass
So beautiful and green,
And gone art your memories
Of the past winter’s scene.

You’ll enjoy all the love
In this bright summer’s day,
Wandering the road
Of life’s pretty way.

RAS BAYLEM’S SPEECH

Ladies an gentlems, fello citisans, it behooves me wid
de mostest ux tudigrad
To stood be fo sich coteligent audance, dat it makes me base my talk, down
Around John’s tato-pach about de third or de fouf hill, am, am, am.
We am interin de war at de mos critical time,
And I want all yo colored citisans tu fall rite in line,
Don’t bother den slackers cause yo nearins’ dangers do,
Dis am de only country dat any uv us know.
Stah wah dem Germans cause dah puts foolness in yo head,
Gis reach up an kiss O Glorie an wish de Kaiser am dead.

MY DREAM

I thought I’d forgotten you, dearie,
But you returned in my golden dream.
The distant years faded you in person,
But again you’re fresh in memory it seems.

Just like the rose wants morning dew,
That’s how my dream makes me want you.
Cruel fate and time has drifted us apart,
I smile on the world, but no one knows my heart.

Oh! let me dream both night and day,
That I may dream my sorrows away
Into a land of passing breeze
To give my heart one moment’s ease.

A SAILOR’S FATE

Lowered deep was the anchor
As the waves rolled high,
With thought of loved ones
Between each sigh.
This was their minds
As they gazed into the sky,
Making peace with their Savior,
For they knew they had to die.
Have mercy on us, Lord, as we pray to Thee
Save us as we’re descending down,
Let us go not, without the holy ground.

Glad hearts often
Through broken hearts ring,
To teach the voice
A little song to sing.

AT EVE

From behind the clouds
Peeps the golden sun,
To kiss the rose,
Because the day is done.

SHE SAID. THEN HE SAID THE REST

Oh! my lovely walk,
Down love’s shady way,
The birds soft, sweet singing
Adds beauty to the day.

TRUE

Have you ever stopped to think, my friend,
Of your simple life from beginning to end.
It pays us now to pull with strife
For youth comes but once in life.
There’s two paths up and down the hill
To seek one or the other is your own free will.

CUPID

The moment I saw
Your dear sweet face,
Cupid with its arrow
Took its place.

Be not discouraged over life’s hard struggle,
Have brighter thoughts and discouragement shrugs.

MY THOUGHTS OF IT

Love is a link, a connector of hearts,
Allow no one to tear it apart.
It’s a food for heart, soul and mind,
True love is ever blind.

THE THOUGHT OF A CHILD

Train your children manners and behavior
While around the cradle they creep,
Then good tidings will ever follow them
After you sleep in the deep.

A GENIUS

On yonder hill sits a genius
In heaven’s guiding hand,
That pours his thoughts just as he writes
His power is God not man.

FOR MY HEART

When the heart is crippled
And the soul cannot be raised,
Just think of dear old mother
That’s the spark that lights the blaze.

ROUND RY ROUND

Just a word of consolation
While I dream night and day,
Will help me climb the ladder of fame
Though the top is far away.

A THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE

My heart at times loses a beat,
But the trouble will ne’er be known,
For I have that much mother wit
Each tub has a bottom of its own.

It’s easy to be good in life,
But hard to be faultless.

Good thoughts on the mind
Should lie deep in the heart.

So bountifully in, flows the word keep peace.
Dare not e’er to intrude.

A man who smiles through the deepest of sorrow
To his own heart adds a value untold.