Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Oh Heart



                                            Oh heart, if it seems that God has not answered
                                            Some anguished cry or earnest prayer
                                            Do not think that he is not mindful
                                            Please try to never despair

                                            Although words themselves be not uttered
                                            Through agony and pain to great to say
                                            Even an unvoiced prayer he hears and answers
                                            If not in your way, in some better way

                                            Better things he promises to give you
                                            Better than you could ask, so be still
                                            And wait, hope and trust in his giving
                                            It will be the answer to his blessed will

                                            Far better than any prayer you could bring
                                            It will surpass the sorrows you bare
                                            Bring peace to your troubled dwelling
                                            No greater feeling can ever compare

                                            Beyond comprehension and all understanding
                                            His love is far greater, unseen by earthly eyes
                                            He can move mountains, walk on water
                                            In him, all hope and our salvation lies

                                            Oh heart, when thou may be troubled
                                            Suffering from pain and bitter loss
                                            Remember the promise he gave to you
                                            Cling everlasting to that old Rugged Cross

                                             Susie Swanson, 2013

Thursday, June 20, 2013

The Glory Of Morning




                                                     They appear in the morning
                                                      In the early mist of dawn
                                                      In all their splendid glory
                                                      Sitting on their throne

                                                      Growing beside the blue bells
                                                      The asters are misty with dew
                                                      Even the black eyed Susan's
                                                      Bow down to them too

                                                      The daisies are so excited
                                                      Snow white with glee
                                                      Such beauty so dominate
                                                      Streaming so elegantly

                                                      Each little passion flower
                                                      Blows kisses in the wind
                                                      Along side the cone flower
                                                      A welcoming transcend

                                                      Even the blue eyed grass
                                                      Grows more proud and tall
                                                      Trying to over shadow
                                                      Each forget me not call

                                                      Those lovely fringed orchids
                                                      Sway their fancy dress
                                                      An orchestra of cattails
                                                      A glorious concert at best

                                                      The cosmos are so happy
                                                      In their own hemisphere
                                                      Among a haven of paradise
                                                      So loudly, they cheer

                                                      Each morning is perfection
                                                      In the bright sunlight
                                                      Even the evening primrose
                                                      Wakes up thinking of night

                                                      Those pretty, little wine cups
                                                      Raise their cup so high
                                                      A toast to such creation
                                                      In the midst of beauty nigh

                                                      Even the reigning queen
                                                      Of Solomon in all his glory
                                                      The lilies of the field
                                                      Stand and bow accordingly

                                                      Climbing, climbing more high
                                                      On a glorious summer stroll
                                                      Those beautiful morning glories
                                                      What a sight to behold

                                                       Susie Swanson, 2013
                                                      

Friday, June 14, 2013

My Hero




                                              When I go home across the hills at evening
                                               My little flock of memories gather in
                                               A gentle peace and quietness will settle
                                               I look back and remember my hero once again

                                               The man I always knew and called daddy
                                               That worked so hard to keep us fed
                                               With a wrinkled brow and callused hands
                                               He provided a roof and a place to lay our head

                                               I see him in the garden come early spring
                                               With his overalls on and his favorite hoe
                                               He stayed with it from beginning to end
                                               Nary a weed was allowed to grow

                                               I see him in the winter in the fallen snow
                                               Splitting pine for kindling to start a fire
                                               Gathering in the night's water and wood
                                               In his plaid coat and gloves, his favorite attire

                                               Each day I hear and see him with his dog Toby
                                               I'm going out to the old place, he'd say
                                               As they happily walked through my yard
                                               Oh what a keepsake memory today

                                               I see those big apple trees he planted
                                               Tall just like daddy, oh how they grew
                                               So many treasures I've come to enjoy
                                               When it comes to my daddy, I'm like glue

                                               He'd tell straight out, he never had much school
                                               Couldn't read or write, certainly no degree
                                               The gift of knowledge flowed through his veins
                                               For ninety four years he taught constantly

                                               To all that listened and wanted to know
                                               Wisdom from the most wise is a gift to behold
                                               As my daddy eased on down through life
                                               So much joy came in pouring out his soul

                                               He walked each road, climbed every hill
                                               He knew everybody for miles around
                                               If they didn't know him, they came to know
                                               He owned and had many a stomping ground

                                               So many examples he set before me
                                               So many memories, such good times
                                               From when I was little and even grown
                                               He taught me life's lessons, only he could design

                                               My daddy is now walking and talking in heaven
                                               Up there where fathers are a chosen kind
                                               I'm now left with my precious flock of memories
                                               And my hero's love he gladly left behind

                                                Susie Swanson,2013



Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there
and many Blessings...Susie



                                               

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Come Sit With Me




                                                    Come sit with me
                                                    Beneath the weeping willow tree
                                                    We'll talk away the hours
                                                    In summer's peaceful tranquility

                                                    We'll watch the beautiful sunset
                                                    Sinking low over the horizon
                                                    Feel the breeze blowing gently
                                                    As the whispering branches liven

                                                    A bright full moon is shining
                                                    Casting shadows oh so bright
                                                    What more could we ask for
                                                    On this perfect summer night

                                                    Come sit with me
                                                    On the treasured, old porch swing
                                                    We'll swing away the hours
                                                    Listening to the crickets sing

                                                    The fire flies are dazzling
                                                    A perfect summer time show
                                                    Smell the honeysuckle blooming
                                                    With sweet fragrance to grow

                                                    We can listen to the whipper wills
                                                     As they make that unique sound
                                                    They never fail to please
                                                    My home is their stomping ground

                                                    Come sit with me
                                                    At the break of a new dawn
                                                    Say hi to the morning glories
                                                    Hear the birds sing each new song

                                                    The roses are cascading
                                                    A round every curve and bend
                                                    Pretty flowers are covered with dew
                                                    The mornings so happily send

                                                    Apple trees are blooming in the lane
                                                    Oh how sweet they can be
                                                    Decked out in pink blossoms
                                                    Waiting for you and me

                                                    All the cows are in the pasture
                                                    Nibbling on the fresh, green grass
                                                    Happy as can be in the sunshine
                                                    Basking in the warmth in high class

                                                    Come sit with me
                                                    On the bank of the little creek
                                                    We'll sip on a tall glass of lemonade
                                                    Then jump in with both feet

                                                    We'll enjoy every moment of the day
                                                    The nights are wonderful too
                                                    Here in my simple, country home
                                                    I promise it will all come true

                                                   There is splendor all around me
                                                   The sky is big overhead
                                                   I live in a heavenly paradise
                                                   Oh what a beautiful spread

                                                   The taste of heaven is sweet
                                                   The air is cleaner here
                                                   If you reach up your hand
                                                   On tip toe heaven is near

                                                   Come sit with me
                                                   In my paradise so green
                                                   This summer time country living
                                                   Is the best I've ever seen

                                                   Susie Swanson,2013

Monday, June 3, 2013

Haints




When I was ten years old we moved to this old two story house. I had mixed feelings about the place but I kept quite as a mouse.

It was an icon of the community, been there for many a year. Many families had moved in and out, I always wondered if ghosts did appear.

Haints they called them back then, and scary as could be. My daddy told so many haint tales he scared the living daylights out of me.

And there were quite a few told about the old house and how they came to be. That's why I had mixed feelings but I had to go along with the family.

I never told my brothers or sister for fear they'd tell. I let them find it out on their own. Being the scardy cats they were, they would have cried their eyes out wanting to go back to our old home.

They were all younger than me and looked up to me. I had to be a role model the best I could be.

That old place had the most beautiful and biggest yard we'd ever seen. We wasn't used to a yard with grass, much less green.

It stretched all the way to the main road and we could see cars go by. We'd never been used to that either, thought we'd died and gone to that home in the sky.

We'd run and play all the live long day, come in at suppertime starved half to death and go back outside and play.

Until dark thirty came and we'd all shiver and frown. We could hear them old stairs creaking and them haints coming down.

And there's something about an old creaky stairway. It'll give you goose bumps and make your heart stop night or day.

The whole time we lived there, we never slept upstairs. We'd all sleep together or in pairs.

Except for a few times when some us were brave enough to take the dares. Didn't last long up there, before we came running back down them stairs.

Mama said, you kids beat all I've ever seen. Ya'll will run up and down them stairs all day and then you're scared of your shadow, I ought to break me a limb that's keen.

I said, But mama there's haints up there, they only come out at night. And mama said, whoever told you that I do declare is in for a big fight.

Then I said, it was daddy that told us one time. He told us about a headless girl walking down them old stairs and other people has told it many a time.

She was fit to be tied by then. She was actin like an old sittin hen, getting ready to flog daddy and he wasn't even there to defend.

He was off at work somewhere down south. He was gone a lot and we always missed him but we got by with more and you didn't hear that come out of my mouth.
  
It was even more scary at night when daddy was gone. We'd go to bed and couldn't sleep, all we could hear was a moan or groan.

And it always came from upstairs somewhere. I swear that was the creakiest and scariest place I've ever slept at anywhere.

One night I could have sworn I saw a woman in a white dress standing in the hallway. I never slept a wink, just shut my eyes praying for the light of day.

And the very next night I saw her again. She had a little girl with her and they turned around and grinned.

I ran and jumped in the bed with mama, fast as I could run. Woke her up and after almost giving her a heart attack she said, your daddy's scary tale days are over and done.

And now that I think about it all today, I believe she did give him a good talking. But that didn't stop him none, he loved his talking.

I'll never forget when he told about the incident over in the lane. Said he was walking home one night and he heard a horse coming and it passed him on by, rattling a chain.

He said he never did see it, he looked really close but it wasn't there. Just the galloping sound, the chain and the horse in thin air.

After that night he said every time he walked through, he'd walk along the side of the road when the noise of the chain grew and grew.

He told about another mysterious happening over in that scary lane. People had told him they'd heard a baby crying in the distance so plain. 

He never paid much attention to what people said back then. My daddy was a brave and courageous man, he'd just grin.

But one particular night he was walking through there on his way home. He heard that baby crying so loud, it really disturbed him the worst he'd ever known. 

There had been a lot of tales about a baby being dropped in a well. According to what daddy said, that crying went on for quite a spell.

Then he told how someone run him all the way in home one night. He met a strange man up the road a piece, walking in the opposite direction and it gave him quite a fright..

The man had his head down and never said a word when daddy spoke. The next thing daddy knew he was coming up behind him, in a fast run and daddy said that was no joke.

He even had his face covered with a mask and needless to say daddy was scared to death. He didn't even take time to go across the little footlog while crossing the creek, out of breath.

And when daddy hit the front porch steps that feller was standing in the road at the top of hill. Daddy never did find out who he was, said he meant to kill him and that's for real.

After he told us that we knew why daddy never did like Halloween. All of those scary masks brought it all back the worst he'd ever seen.

Now after such talk as this, in that old house sleep never became our friend. That house was haunted and those haints wanted us out faster than we came in.

But we never did see or hear anything after daylight. It was only when we went to bed those haints came out, when everything got quiet.

And that old house had the most room. It had a living room, kitchen, dining room and I bet there were at least five bedrooms and of course no bathroom.

Yep, we had to run outside to do our business and such. Although we'd never had a bathroom before, after dark we didn't like that much.

One night my oldest brother went out the back door to take care of  business like all the nights before and we heard a blood curdling scream as he pounced through the door.

Said he saw somebody standing out there in the back yard. He said it was some old man and he was watching him and he was breathing really hard.

My mama was the braviest woman I've ever known. She told us kids to get in the bed as she grabbed a big stick over by the fireplace and went out the door and hollered, make yourself known or you're the same as dead.

We were all huddled together crying for fear we'd lose our mama when she came back in. She told us there wasn't anybody out there, get in the bed I'm not gonna tell you again.

Come mornings we were up and at em before a cat could lick. Except when it came time to go to school, we all came down really bad sick.

Especially when daddy was gone for quite a while. We used the excuse of having the belly ache and when the bus run we were in fine fashion and style.

Until the weekend rolled around and time for daddy to come home. I'll never forget many a time I put two pair of britches on.

We'd get him off on telling them old haint tales every time. It worked like a clock bell ringing it's chime. Until just before he left again and that hickory limb hit our behind.

We lived in that old house several years before we moved back to our old place. We were living there when President Kennedy died, such an awful time for the country to face.

Since we had managed to get our first ever TV with only one channel, it was on day and night constantly.

We'd run through the house stop and take a peep and run back down them old steps, fast as we could leap. Being kids, we didn't know or understand. We just knew our President was gone and mama said he was gone to that Promised Land.

But after all was said and done and I look back on it today, we really enjoyed living in that old house more than we would say.

Because the day we moved my brother said something that was on all of our minds. Goodbye old house, even if you are haunted we had a good time.

                                                     Susie Swanson, 2013