HEALTHCARE IS JUST THE BEGINNING.  AS SOON AS ONE PROPOSAL IS APPROVED AND OUT THE DOOR ANOTHER ONE WILL EMERGE AND AS MANY AS CAN BE CRAMMED INTO ANOTHER 3 YEARS, THEY  WILL EVOLVE. 

WHO COULD EVER IMAGINE SO MUCH CHANGE!  AMERICA, TAKE CONTROL AND PUT ON THE BRAKES!

I think God is using the season’s to send us a message.  That even though winter , as such, signifies the ending of our lifetime, but that spring means we will live again.

Did our forefathers offend other nationalties that came into this country by saying “In God we trust”?  We were America then and if no one liked it they could leave.

Today we change our way of lives to appease the people from other religions and countries.  We should not let ourselves be caught up in anything except our american values.  To all the people who come here to our great land, all we can offer to you is a better way of life and if something offends you, then you must adapt.

For instance, your mama (which is me) always had a big addiction to cigarettes.  Every one of you had to endure 9 months of smoke.  In today’s world they say that’s a definite no-no.  And just think, none of you wore seat belts and sometimes rode the front seat.  I can also remember giving a few spankings along the way…..

Well things sure have changed.  Sometimes i think the lifestyle improvements override the natural order of things.

I miss you when I am sleeping
Or when I am awake
I guess I miss you all the time
Just because I know you are mine.

6/12/66
A Picture
I see your picture on the wall
When it is not there at all
I hear your voice in every sound
When I know you’re not around

And when you’re far away from here
I feel your touch as if you’re near
And if you keep me in your thoughts all day
Your picture will never go away.

4/3/66

A Gift
Your skin is like a white, white rose
Your lips are sweet as honey
I would like to get a gift for you
But I haven’t any money

So I will send my hopes and dreams
And put them in your care
I know you will take good care of them
And I’ll always find them there

5/7/66

My Thoughts
Night and day I think of you
When I am happy or sad and blue
I think of you in the early dawn
And when the day is almost gone

I think of you when things go wrong
Or when life is just a song
My thoughts are with you all of the time
Because I know you are really mine

8/2/66

An Old Story
I don’t have any silver
I don’t have any gold
But I will tell you a story
A thousand years old

You are my darling
You are my dear
In my heart your picture
Is always quite clear

I dream of the day
Wehn you will be mine
And instead of a poem
We will make life a rhyme

9/6/66
A City Song
You know my dar it is a doggone pity
I left my love and went to the city
I am lonely and very blue
I just don’t know what to do

So I will write this little note
And you will love me more I hope
We are wasting time and it is a pity
Till I can leave this great big city

10/20/66

The Rover
When you are born under a roving star,
It does not matter where you are
You must keep moving as you well know,
And it does not matter where you go.

As long as you keep moving you are fine,
But you never stop for a very long time.
For if you do you will find,
That you are not near the end of the line.

Now this is the way that it is for you,
And you always say I am traveling through
You may stop here for a little while,
Then you take off with a great big smile.

So you are born under a roving star,
And you will travel very far.
Now you will travel through life this way,
And that is all that you can say.

8/4/92
A Strip Mine
I think that I shall never see
Anything as pretty as a tree
Growing on a strip mine bench
With a pond where game their thirst can quench

This is a sight to light your eyes
And make you think of days gone by
When you could not walk upon this land
But had to climb it hand over hand

Now this is what ecologists say
Will spoil the land we have today
With hgihwall bare but benches green
This is a sight that should not be seen

So do not cry or fret about
The things we do to get coal out
We will fix the land real good
And make it better if we could

So let us help this state of ours
And let the men work steady hours
So they can feed their families good
And let them live the way they should

3/10/70
The Way To Live
Freedom is a precious word
A word that very few have heard
And understood the meaning of
The word that all of us should love

It does not mean you can lie or cheat
Or rob a person on the street
It does not mean you can kill or steal
Just because that is the way you feel

You cannot take unless you pay
For if you do then I can say
You will never, never get away
Or enjoy the things you get that way

But if you live and obey the rules
You will have your choice of many schools
Where you can learn to work and play
In this good American way

So if you live the way you should
Then freedom to you is understood
The choice you see is yours you know
You are free to either stay or go

Now freedom means all this and more
And to me it is worth fighting for
And fight you must if you can say
The things you want to say each day

8/12/68

The Wanderer
There is a saying many time repeated
By folks who stay at home
Now I wonder would they say it
If they were the ones to roam

Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Now I wonder is this true
Nothing I am sure could make me fonder
Than I am dear one of you

3/10/65
Away
Away, away, away I go
Away, away to see the show
Away, away forever more
I do not want to see this place no more

I went away to see the show
It seems I traveled forever more
Now I seen it all but I can’t go back
For it is not on the newest map

Now I have a home once more
And I will not leave it for something more
For if I leave I msut pay the cost
For this home that is forever lost

12/15/93
Construction men
There are poems about the wild, wild west
And of the desert sands
Now I will tell of the construction men
As they travel across the lands

For if there is a dam to build
Or a big river to cross
You will see these construction men
Just looking for the boss

They may be big or little
They will be rough and loud
But they are there to do a job
And they will be real proud

Now they will say I built this bridge
Or this dam or road
And they will never, never say
He helped to carry this load

The operators are hard-headed
The laborers are real slow
The boss is awful loud and mean
And the engineer is in between

Now put them all in one big pot
Then take one out and believe it or not
He will say and you can bet
He done the job hmiself “by heck”

9/19/69

Here
When life is full of trouble and sorrow
Then you dread the thought of tomorrow
But when life is happy and gay
You think it will always be that way

But it is not happiness or strife
That gives a real meaning to life
But a search for something we cannot define
That makes all living worth the time

It is not for money, love or fame
That makes life an exciting game
I is not danger or fear or strife
That makes it an exciting life

It is the search and not the prize
That brings the shine into our eyes
For when all is said and done
The end is the same for everyone

No one can stay or run away
From the life you live until that day
So do not weep and shed a tear
It must be better than it was here

4/17/68
The Christmas Gift
This is the time of happiness and cheer
For it is the birthday or our saviour dear
Now we should bless him all year long
And sing his praise in a Christmas song

But do not forget as time goes by
That he was born to grow and die
To keep us from that bottomless pit
For the sins that all of us commit

So sing his praise forever more
As we stand on this sandy shore
Of this life as we pass through
For it is really the thing to do

Now we will praise him in the prayers we pray
On this merry Christmas day
For he gave our life a great big lift
When he gave us the ultimate gift

12/3/93
I Can Remember
I can remember when the world was bright
And seemed to shed a glowing light
I can remember when the land was clean
And no one would throw trash on the scene

I can remember when times were good
And I think most everyone understood
That joy was not just a passing phase
But a way to live most every day

I can remember all the pleasant hours
When mother used to work with flowers
She would dig and scratch and weed that bed
In her flower garden beside the shed

I can remember a Christmas with dad
When I was just a little tad
We would play tin-pins across the floor
And dad would laugh with a great big roar

I can remember a thousand good things
Such as the Sunday church bells ring
And watch the people come down the street
Hoping their maker there to meet

I can remember and I hope you can too
All the things we used to do
So brighten up and look around
For a lot of pleasure can still be found

For if you seek I am sure you will find
That life is not a daily grind
But a smooth and silky ride
That will make you feel all warm inside

To my sisters:  Irene, Helen, Fern.

5/14/91
James
I have told of my first three boys
When they were very small
Now they are grown and making their mark
And they all stand tall

Now I will tell of my fourth little boy
He is just ten and one half
His interests are so varied
Sometimes you have to laugh

He is handsome and tall
He is strong and he is quick
He is curious to know
What makes everything tick

We love him a lot
And spoil him you know
But it don’t seem to hurt
His attitude you know

So we will tell you now
We are proud as can be
That we have a boy to love us you see

4/7/80
Life
Life is rough and oh so sad
We see so much that is real bad
Of crime and death and hunger too
A person don’t know just what to do

It seems that life is just a waste
Till we see a man turn back in haste
When he forgets his fond goodbye
To a family with shining eyes

Or a child share a pack of gum
With another from the depressing slums
A good woman helps the sister of the street
When she is oh so tired and beat

Now all of these things are the life we live
No matter if you take or give
It is love and gentleness and more
It think it is God we are looking for

Unknown date
A Promise
If you will take the love I give
And hold it tenderly
Then as long as I shall live
I’ll treat you faithfully

I’ll never let you shed a tear
Or give a sad, sad sigh
For if you were unhappy
Then I know that I would die

My life for you I’ll live complete
And try in every way
To keep you just as happy
As I hope you are today

And if I ever let you down
This I can say my dear
I will suffer twice as much
Because you shed a tear

So if your happiness depends
On what I say or do
Never fear or never doubt
For I love only you

11/9/67

Good Years
Some say I am old at seventy five
But this is a good time to be alive
I work all day and party at night
When I get up in the morning I must turn on a light

Now this is the way I live my day
And no one can never ever say
He was out again most of the night
So he cannot do the work he might

You are not old till you say you are
Though the number of years mean you went that far
But if you set down and say you are old
That is the day you start getting cold

So keep on moving and do not give up
And when the day starts to drag, get out of the rut
Then think of the many things you have to do
And keep on moving till the day is through

5/7/92
Working It Out
When I was young and fancy free
I thought I was growing a money tree
Now I am old and I found out
That I had a cabbage sprout

Now this is the ay all things work out
And it makes you kind of doubt
Whether anyting is worth the price
For all the things you need in life

So you keep on working until you are old
And you cannot break the mold
You work today for yesterday’s pleasures
And this is the way it works forever

When you even out you are done
Then the days lose all their fun
So do not gripe or cry about
All the things that are left out

So live this life the way it comes
And you can have a lot of fun
But do not think of things left out
And never have a real big doubt

Just say I lived this life today
And I wil live it every day
I will have my ups and downs it is true
But I will live until I am through

8/30/90
The Wanderer
I heard the whistle of the train
I listened to the sea’s mighty roar
Sometimes walking in the rain
It seems I will search forever more

I hear the call of the open road
The singing tires, the engine growl
Looking for I know not what
As I hear the traffic howl

Seeking, searching, looking
In the midst of time
Stopping, resting, maybe here
Is the thing I cannot define

Then I get a restless urge
To move across theland
This is when my heart will surge
As I walk the shifting sands

Then I stopped and looked around
Knowing that I finally found
The thing for which I have always searched
Right next door to a little church

So I will rest and hope once more
To find the happiness I am looking for
For I have found in a wayside store
It was love I was looking for

2/26/66
Pisces man
I am a Pisces man it is true
I never know what I am going to do
I always look at the sky so blue
Looking for the rainbow true

If I have a home that is very fine
I will look for a different one any time
And if I have a job that is very sure
I still will feel that I am quite poor

There is sand in my shoes it is true
I am always looking for things to do
Things I have never done before
And then I look for something more

As long as my love will share with me
This search of mine then I am free

To follow up this lonely road
And keep on going till I am old

So if you are a lot like me
Do not expect my sympathy
Just move along like you know you must
And say to all excuse my dust.

5/3/63

Home
There is a place I am looking for
It will have a stream and a sandy shore
A few shade trees and a little home
A place that will be our very own

An open field, a hidden place
Where we can rest and slow down the pace
A place where there is not struggle and strife
Where we can have a peaceful life

I will find this place I know
For the picture is with me wherever I go
It is a picture that is very clear
And in my dreams it is very near

6/12/67

Freedom
There was a time when I was so free
I did not think anything could touch me
I laughed and I drank and I loved all around
And I thought I could walk two feet above ground

Now I am married with a family of four
So I do not drink or carouse any more
But I am still happy and glad as can be
For now I know some people need me

They need me and want me, of this I am glad
For it is a joy that I never had
For if you are free and single life can get very blue
With all the world laughing and none of them with you

So take a hint from a man who tried
And do not ever try to hide
With fun and laughter and drink out there
Where there is someone with a home you can share

9/10/70

Young Times
They say I’m old
But that ain’t so
I am just as old as I feel you know
I’m just seventy-three and that ain’t much

Now seventy-three is an awful old age
If you are afraid to turn the page
Of this life you have to live
And you just take instead of give

But me I like to move around
For something new is always found
To take your interest and make you ask
Will this new thing really last

So I will keep an open mind
For all the things that I find
And keep on looking for
All the things that life has in store

So if you want to be young like me
Do not lay under that big shade tree
But move around and chase that dream
Then you can make life a happy scheme

6/7/90
My Chosen Land
I traveled to the Hawaiian Isles
I have been to Bermuda where everyone smiles
I have been to Canada and Panama
And in between I have seen it all

Now Pennsylvania is a good old state
Minnesota and Wisconsin are up to date
Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont too
They all are nice to travel through

Then you see a southern sign
That leads below the Mason Dixon Line
Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee
Where everybody was real nice to me

Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas
All these states are very fine
And if you are on a job or traveling through
There is a lot of things to do

I have seen them all and now I say
There is just one place for me to stay
A place where I can work and play
And live the life I want each day

West Virginia is the place I say
West Virginia is the place I will stay
West Virginia is the new frontier
So to West Virginia I will go from here

So if you are in this state so fine
You can see me any time
Just look for the house around the bend
For there is where I will be my friend

3/8/65

Our Schools
When I was young and attending school
We were taught the Golden Rule
We all were dressed neat and clean
With our shoes all shined with a nice bright sheen

We pledged allegiance to the flag
And said a prayer to God
Then we would study and do our sums
Until the day was done

Now our children go to school
As rugged as they can be
They cannot pledge or say a prayer
For some will say it is not fair

Do not teach our children these good things
That all children should know
Do not teach them to respect our flag
For this is not the goal

So do not blame the children
For things that they don’t know
You let the laws control our schools
And forget about the other rules

Now if you want the nation strong
They must be taught what you knew all along
So you must change this silly law
For this is really the one big flaw

7/30/93

September
September is a rainy month
Some people think quite dreary
But to me it is a month
I know will be quite cheery

September is the month of clouds and showers
When everything stays damp for hours
But I will have my love with me
To keep me happy as can be

June, July or a December day
Or even the merry month of May
I will keep the month of September
As the month to always remember

9/15/66

Mine Engineer Blues
I have been in this place thirteen years or more
Getting permits forever more
We get one through and think we’re done
Then they want another on the run

When the permit is approved and right
And your dream of production is in sight
A man will come form the E.P.A.
To give you work for another day

But when this man is satisfied
There is a man on the other side
He says Oh No, You are not quite through
We need a plan for M.S.H.A. too

There are drainage plans and escapeway plans
Dust control and electric plans
Mining plans and pillar plans
Progress an ventilation plans

There are reports to the state inspector
Federal and water inspector too
The dust and reclamation inspector
Land agent and the union too

When this is done and things seem right
The super says this plan is out of sight
We are not able to mine this way
You better change your plan today

So we revise and coax and cry
With a tear running from our eye
Hoping we can build a plan
To get the coal out of this land

The president says we need this coal
But we must be an ecology mole
So do not disturb a rock or mar the earth
To get the coal for America’s hearth

When you get all this done and feel secure
Along comes the union and sys it is sure
They will not work or settle a strike
They would rather sit in the dark at night

Now this is a coal man’s life you see
And all the mining is easy and free
So if you want a job that is soft and breezy
Be a mine engineer and take it easy.

11/23/77  Revised 3/20/90

An Answer
Man is born to struggle and strike
And will lead a turbulent life
He can work and plan all day
But things will never go his way

He will go to church on Sunday
Then make the same mistakes on Monday
He will say his prayers on bended knee
Promising he will better be

He will make these mistakes again
Then make excuses with a sheepish grin
But he will blame God and he will say
He did not hear a word I say

Now this is the way he goes through life
Blaming others for his trouble and strife
He will work and toil all day
Hoping luck will come his way

Then one day he might just find
He was going through life quite blind
He will pray on bended knee
And make his promises all to thee

And then he will try his best to be
The man he promised God to be
Then life will be a quiet stream
And answer to his one great dream

9/10/70

To My Love
This is a story as old as time
That tells of a love the same as mine
It is loving and sweet as it should be
And that is the way it is for me

It is working and doing and giving all
And knowing what you are doing is small
To pay for all the love you get
From the one you just love to pet

So I will thank you for this chance
To know that we will share this dance
Through the rest of this life I have to live
And love you with all that I can give

9/2/67

The Time For Me
Summer time is the time for me
To lay beneath a leafy tree
And dream of pleasant days gone by
To reach for the moon up in the sky

A pretty girl, a pleasant home
A place where you are not alone
A place to go in joy or sorrow
A place where there is no tomorrow

Summer time is better than spring
You can hear all the birds sing
You can hear the crickets in the dale
And know for you life did not fail

Summer time has come at last
When all these things have come to pass
Autumn, winter, summer or spring
The time of year does not mean a thing

8/20/66

An Old Story
I don’t have any silver
I don’t have any gold
But I will tell you a story
A thousand years old

You are my darling
You are my dear
In my heart your picture
Is always quite clear

I dream of the day
When you will be mine
And instead of a poem
We will make life a rhyme.

8/26/66

Dollar Sign
In 81 I made a hit
And it gave me quite a kick
I made it big and that is sure
I got everything I was looking for

Now I made it big in 81
I really had a lot of fun
I had my fund but it did not last
So I had to make another hit fast

In 82 I made some more
And I thought it would come forever more
But it stopped and I am stuck
For the I.R.S. want6s those great big bucks

So do not plan to make is last
You must make some more real fast
For the more you get the more it takes
To stop those empty pocket aches

Now I had a time in 89
I could not get all things in line
I had some setbacks and that is sure
And I could never seem to find a cure

So it is 90 and I started out fine
But I never could quite stay in line
For the more I get the more I need
For those hungry mouths to feed

8/2/90

A Christmas Story
Christmas time is here they say
And it is not just another day.
It is a day with spirits bright
If you have really seen the light

It is not just drinking and eating and having fun
It is really the birthday or of Savior’s son
Now people forget that this is so
But is the real meaning of this holiday you know

So sing a song of praise and glory
For this is not only a real old story
But a blessed day to sing his praise
As they did in olden by-gone days.

12/23/92
Pay Day
I have been searching all of my life
For a way to escape the strife
Of this modern world we live
Where you cannot take unless you give

But I have never found a way
To get your wish unless you pay
For you pay with time or love today
And you must pay all of the way

The worldly things you get with money
And if it makes your days seem sunny
You many think you are happy as can be
Because you have a money tree

But at night when you are all alone
And your dreams keep coming home
Then your days are very few
And not so many left for you

So you find some one to love
And you are blessed from up above
For with love the more you give
The easier it is for you to live

5/6/68

Nineteen Ninety Three
This is the year of nineteen ninety three
Now everyone can see the same as me
That things are not going the way they should
Because this life is not understood

All you see is hunger and pain
Poverty and weakness and crime and shame
You see children starving and dying like flies
When you wish you could see a light of hope in their eyes

All they can hope for is more of the same
As long as the world is blind to their pain
There is but one answer as any one should see
And you should not have to hear it from someone like me

Now this is a book that is old but still new
And it will tell of the things that you must do
To make the world right and shining and clean
And tells of a way to make it all gleam

It is not done by leaders or rich men you see
But must be done by people like you and me
It is not done as a chore or a job that you do
But is done by a love that is strong and true

Now as I write these lines I am as weak as the rest
For I am always saying I will do my very best
Then put things of for another day
When all these things must be done right away

So wake up and listen to a child’s mournful cry
And do not let one more day go by
But do all the things you know you could
To make all the world be shining and good

Now this is a prayer that comes form the heart
Now is the best time to make a new start
And keep all the promises that way you should
Then you will know you have done all you could

1/19/93
Fit As A Fiddle
I am about to turn seventy-five
And I never done a thing to hide
I always worked but I had my fun
And seen more country than most anyone

I traveled here and I traveled there
I even went to county fair
I have seen the country I can say
I would stop a while then be on my way

I drank some too and I still do a little
I like a party and I feel fit as a fiddle
I work everyday and enjoy it too
Because there are so many things to do

I will never quit as long as I am able
I enjoy a big spread at the dinner table
I eat and I drink whatever I wish
And at the end of the mean you will find a clean dish

So do not feel old at seventy-five
But think of what you will do at eighty-five
So do not sit and grouch or grumble
But thank your God and be quite humble.

12/9/91

The Hills of Rock
I traveled far and I traveled wide
I never done a thing to hid
Now I’m in these hills of rock
I’m in West Virginia around the clock

I work all day on a railroad plan
Every evening I’m a lonely man
I am lonely and oh so blue
Just looking for some things to do

I went to Logan and to Man
Pineville, Princeton, and Oceana
Right Fork, Ikes Fork and Cub Creek too
Just looking for some things to do

Brownings Fork I finally found
A three-mile hollow with a turn around
I found a blond in a wayside store
Now we say forever more

3/1,2/65

Friends
I had some good times and I had some bad
I had some good days and I had some bad
I would take a drink to help me out
But it never did turn things about

Now when things go wrong I ponder
Just where I went wrong I wonder
Then I try to figure out
Where I can turn to help me out

It seems I always have a fried
When I have reached the very end
They will come and they will say
I will help you out again today

So do not worry and do not fret
Even if you have a great big debt
If you have a friend then you can say
They helped me out again today

Now without a friend you are quite small
And do not count for anything at all
But with one friend you are quite rich
And you can always make your pitch

But to have a friend you must be a friend
And what you ask of him he can ask of you
So do not be surprised if he should say
Will you help me out again today?

4/22/92
My Family
My family is my joy and life
They are so very true
They are the only thing in life
To help me struggle through

My baby son if first you see
For he has a very big need for me
He is healthy and happy, of this I am glad
Sometimes he can be a little bit bad

Then there is my next son
He is just five
Whenever you see him you know he is alive
With running and laughter and noise he will thrive

Next comes my oldest, he is six and one half
So serious and smart you sometimes must laugh
He is tall and slender and straight as can be
So I want you to know he is a joy to me

Now take some things from all of my boys
Add some beauty and a mother’s poise
Put it all in a pretty frame
This is the girl who has my name

9/10/68
A New Year
It was the last December morn
The sun was right, the day was warm
It seemed a fitting time to light
A candle for the new year bright

We think of all the things to do
And our dreams of the future can all come true
We will do good deeds as we enter the door
And travel on roads not traveled before

We will think of all the good things to come
And forget about all the things that are done
As we travel down life’s dusty road
And no one can help us carry the load

You’ll work and play as you did before
But things will change and you’ll see a lot more
Of life as it is, as you’re traveling through
For life has a meaning and you’ll find things to do

You can’t make everything just right
But you can light a small glowing light
In this world of tears and strife
To help you live a much better life

You must forget all about the past
There is only one thing that can ever last
It is hope for the life that is just ahead
For you must hope until you are dead

So come with me to a promise land
Of all tomorrows that are at hand
For we can do all the things we should
To make this world all clean and good

12/31/72
Our Christmas Party
Christmas is a time of cheer
When the world should be free of fear
But this Christmas like all others
Has a world with a lot of troubles

The poor are hungry and the rich are happy and gay
As this Christmas comes our way
You see some children clean and neat
And others passing with bare feet

Now this group is lucky and merry
As we meet here and eat without a worry
But there are many who are hungry and cold
And it has been this was since time of old

So let us take this time to say
We will help in any way
And we should do a little more
To help the sick and feed the poor

So as we go on our merry way
We can hear all the others say
A Merry Christmas and many more
For all the good life has in store

11/1/90
A Sad Goodbye
I have a son who is just nineteen
He is tall and smart and strong
He can program a computer or fly a plane
He can play the drums or entertain

He’s good at anything I say
Now he wants to go away
And it seems we have no say
In anything he wants today

So I will say, I hope you find
All the things you have in mind
But we will miss you very much
And hope that you will keep in touch

So I will say so long my son
Please keep in touch and have your fun
But let us know we have not failed
To guide you on the narrow trail

Our love for you will always grow
Deep in our heart as you should know
So do not forget this good old dad
For this note makes me very sad

11/22/88

Dreams
When you are young and fancy free
Life is but a dream you see
You dream of fairies in a nook
Or a fish dangling from a hook

You dream of cowboys on the range
Of singing guns and dangling reins
You dream of pirates on the sea
And flashing blades that are so free

Or you may dream you’re an astronaut
And this old world is a great big top
For you to wrap a string around
And spin it high above the ground

Then when you are a high school boy
You dream of adventure and will laugh with joy
You dream of the worlds you will someday win
And will fight all your battles with a great big grin

Now all too soon a you man you will be
To dream of a girl and a family you see
You will dream of a good job and a pleasant home
Then if you’re happy you will never roam

So as you grow older your dreams will too
You will dream of the things your family will do
Like camping or fishing or going to the zoo
And you will be happy whatever you do

Your children will grow and your dreams will too
You will dream of the big things your children will do
They will be a president or maybe a star
And whatever they do they are sure to go far

Now before you know it an old man you will be
But your dreams will stay young as new leaves on a tree
For as each season changes your dreams will be free
To change and adjust the same as with me

9/10/70
A Search
Now I was born in the spring of the year
When all of nature is fresh and clear
And I was raised in a little town
Where no one ever put you down

Then I grew up and went to the city
Where the people were smart and witty
And they are always going around
Just trying to put the other folks down

So I said to myself this is no life for me
I would rather sit under a big shade tree
For I do not like the struggle and strife
Of this big city life

So I started this long search of mine
To find this place I can not define
A place I can really call home
And never more will want to roam

I cannot define this place I know
If I could I would tell you so
It could be a mountain all covered with snow
Or a green valley far below

It could be a village on a river shore
Or an island with the ocean’s roar
Now I will find this place I know
And when I do I will tell you so

9/10/70

My Wife
Happiness is not a place or thing
Not even a great big diamond ring
It is no a house nor a car you see
It is only when you are here with me

There is only one place that I can see
Where I am as happy as I can be
I have searched the world and I really know
There is only one place I want to go

This happiness that I finally found
It is not laughter and noise all around
It is not eating and drinking or singing and gay
But it is like I feel today

Now the reason I am happy as I can be
It is because you are near and loving me
It is hearing your voice and seeing your face
When I see you I know I have won the race

So to keep me happy there is one thing I am needing
And you don’t have to do any begging or pleading
Just stay in my arms so I can love and provide
For this is what makes me all warm inside

So you can make me laugh or you can make me cry
But I will be happy until I die
When you said “I do” it was happiness and more
It is what I really am living for

9/16/66

Final Achievement
I have been here six years or more
But I get no thanks as I go out the door
For all the plans that I have made
Even though they were a production aid

So I say so long and thank you sir
For I have learned that man may err
And make mistakes as he travels through
But to his self he must be true

Now I will leave this little thought
For it is little that I have sought
A pleasant home and a place to plan
The operations for a coal mine man

I thought I had achieved my goal
But it turned in to a bottomless hole
Where the more you give the less you get
And all it did was make you fret

So I will leave this little rhyme
So you will know how I spend my time
It gives me great pleasure and I love it
To say you can take this job and shove it.

12/28/79

King Coal
I have built bridges, roads and dams
Made water line and railroad plans
Planned a building or a home
But never one to call my own

It is true, I was a traveling man
But my feet have stopped in this hilly land
Where they dig the coal out of the land
And every lump is an aid to man

Oh yes, I will change my job once more
And probably will forever more
But I will always do my thing
In this land were coal is king

Just look for me on any hill
Where they have their scoops all filled
With the coal out of this land
For this is where I will always stand

3/29/74

Roanoke
Here we are in Roanoke
We must stay here for we are broke
It cost too much to leave this town
It guess we will have to stay around

You think you are going to make it big
But all you do is dig, dig, dig
There is a great big raise in prices
Of everything from shoes to rice

Not I don’t need to tell you how it is today
You have to dig if you want to pay
You pay with everything you got
And there is never enough to come out on top

So you just keep on being broke
And hope that you can keep afloat
Till you can earn that great big raise
Or catch the prize and win the praise

Of all the people in the land
Who will hold out a grasping hand
For all the money that you got
When you hit the big jackpot

So there is not way to win
You just keep showing a great big grin
When things are tough and living thin
For you are lost if you give in

12/15/68

A Thought
Life is a worry and full of pain
Waiting for happiness to come again
When happiness comes as it always will
You know that time does not stand still

You know this pain will come once more
As the opening of a great big door
But you can always feel secure
For happiness will follow you can be sure

Now happiness and pain are the life we live
If you take or if you give
When life is done and all is said
You can say I earned my daily bread

So do not worry or do not fret
Your life is not quite over yet
If you are feeling pain or sorrow
It will be a better day tomorrow

Now keep this thought and you shall know
You can say I told you so
And you will live this life forever more
Until you go through the final door

1/28/91
Hope of the World
There was a time when I thought I could do
All of the things I wanted to do
I dreamed of a fast car or maybe a boat
And all of the good things to keep up your hope

No one would be hungry or no one would be sad
For all would be happy and all would be glad
To live in a world so shining and free
This I was sure was the life for me

I held to this dream as I traveled through life
I tried to shut my eyes to the struggle and strife
Of the world in turmoil and the suffering and pain
For all the world leaders acted like they were insane

I still hold this dream as I hope you do too
For all of these good things can all come true
So do not give up and do not doubt
But try your best to turn things about

6/22/92
Going To Church
I have been to churches here and there
Where you can hear a hymn or a solemn prayer
They tell you how you should live
And how much you should give

It is a sin they always say
To sing and dance or run and play
It is not proper they will say
To have a lot of fun this way

They will say other people are real poor
Just because of the clothes they wore
It is not proper they will say
To come into our church that way

Now if you go to church it’s great
But do not tell other people’s fate
So treat them equal then folks can say
You are living in a Christian way

6/9/92
Another New Year
Another new year is just about here
And all my resolutions were broken last year
I made a long list and wrote them out clear
And one by one I broke them as I passed through the year.

Now this is the way you pass through this life
You promise to change and avoid the strife
But you never quite do all the things that you could
And the promises rot away like an old piece of wood.

Now this is the way you just get by
When you could reach the stars up in the sky
You can do all the things you want to do
All you need is the push to get you through.

So do not complain about the past
For you know the future is here at last
And you can make all your dreams come true
As long as you really want them to.

12/10/92

A Shining Light
The night is still, the moon is bright
And you can see a far off light
It is shining just for you
So you should know the right thing to do

You may be lost, but you should follow the light
And it will lead you out of the night
Now if you stray or lose your course
You may wander around and know you are lost

So hold to your course and do not stray
For you must know it is better that way
The path may be rough, but you will find
It is much better at the end of the line

So do not weep or shed a tear
It must be better than it was here
At the end you can say, you had a good time
And everyone comes to the end of the line

8/25/92

Advice
Now do not smoke they always say
If you want to live another day
Now they told me this for sixty years
But I did not heed their worries and fears

Now they said do not drink whiskey or you will die
But I did not heed their worried cry
I have a drink whenever I like
Sometimes I wobble like the tail of a kite

Now they say get plenty of rest and get to bed early
But there is not time for sleep as I am always in a hurry
I sleep when I can if there is nothing to do
But I get enough rest to carry me through

The advice you get is not always wrong
But for me I have to sing my own song
I will find out the hard way as you can see
So do not ever weep for me

5/29/92

Seventy Six
Now I am seventy-six as you can see
I am still as busy as I can be
I work all day from seven till five
And everyone knows I am still alive

I work on mine plans all day long
And when I go home I am singing a son
I go out in the evening and play for awhile
I do not dress fancy but I stay with the style

Now this is the way I pass my days
The future is always a rosy haze
Things always look bright and shiny to me
And this is the way I want it to be

There is no use to gripe and grumble
I thank the Lord and am quite humble
That I am able to be this way
And this is the way I want to stay

3/9/93

The Thing To Do
When I was younger I could do
Most anything I wanted to
I could fix a car or repair a truck
To keep them from getting all tore up

I could fell a tree or load a log
I could swing an ax or saw a board
I could draw a plan or survey the land
And there are some plans that still have my hand

I have fixed some planes and even some boats
And kept a lot of them afloat
I have made some dyes and even some tools
If a man did not work he did not live by life’s rules

Now there is always a job that you can do
And there is always work for you
It is not always the work you like
But you will sleep real good at night

Now I have left my mark on this land
And a lot of my work will always stand
For I would always work and try
To show the world that I passed by

Now I am seventy-five plus right now
But I still have the old know-how
To draw a plan or figure ways
To mine the coal for a few more days

So never say I cannot or will not do this or that
Or you will never wear the big boss hat
But try your best and you can be sure
That you can help the world to cure

11/20/92
Our Nation
I was born when men stood tall
And they obeyed their country’s call
I grew to a man quite wild and free
In this land that is home to me

The I heard my country call
As others did both short and tall
We were proud to serve in any way
And we hoped it would always be that way

Then more little boys grew and grew
Till they were very strong and true
And to Korea they were sent
To fight Communism was their intent

Now some are fighting in Vietnam
As proud and strong as any man
While others cry and beg and plead
Because they are afraid to bleed

For this homeland of their birth
To them does not seem quite worth
Their effort to keep it on this earth
This land where freedom had its birth

6/25/67
Sequel To Our Nation
Now Vietnam is long time past
And again our nation must ask
For understanding and a commitment from us
To fight a war in the Persian Gulf

Now some will protest and make a noise
But most will stand with a will and poise
While our service people make a stand
In a hot and dusty land

Now the Persian Gulf is no place to be
If you are afraid to see
Blood and strife and fear and pain
And a bullet that may have your name

So I say stand up and praise your leader
For he knows just what is needed
To keep our world all clean and free
As this world should always be

2/7/91

Our Leader
We had a president in nineteen sixty two
Who was very strong and true
Then he went to a Texas town
Then an assassin shot him down

Then for years time stood still
For none of our leaders had the will
To take a stand or follow through
With what we thought was right to do

Now we have a leader strong
Who has a will of his very own
He never says he might or I think I should
And he will never say I would if I could

When he says he will, he will surely do
For he has a great and strong love too
For this land that we call home
For we know it is our very own

So stand behind your president
And let him know your real intent
And let him be proud that he can say
I won the election in a real big way

Then we can relax and be quite content
That no other country would have any intent
Of causing trouble or making things rough
For when he says no that would be quite enough

11/11/91
A Pleasant Host
I have been in restaurants from coast to coast
Where they have a pleasant host
They are always ready to hold a door
And they say please come back for more

I have been in restaurants in Maine
Where the food is never plain
And they always seem to say
Hello to you on this fine day

I have been in restaurants all around
Where you can eat or sit around
Or grab a coffee for the road
Because you have a heavy load

Now the nicest place that I have found
Is a restaurant in a little town
In these West Virginia hills
Where they have no fancy frills

It is clean and neat and pleasant too
And the food is served just right for you
But the nicest thing anyone can say
Is the way they send you on your way

They greet you in a pleasant way
And treat you nice on your short stay
And when you start to leave and pay
They always say, “Have a pleasant day.”

8/13/74
When I Was Young
Mother would se the breakfast table
Where you could plan your day
Then you could relax and drink your coffee
Before you would go on your way

You would do your work and put in your time
Until your day was done
Then you would go and meet your friends
And have a little fun

Then you go home to dinner
With your family all around
You could relax and take your ease
And never get put down

Now this is the way we spent our days
It was a very pleasant time
There was no rush or hurry
And everything was fine

Now these days are gone forever
No more to be seen
It is all rush and hurry
As if they had ever been

So do not fret or worry
Do not think of the pleasant past
You can still make your days quite happy
For nothing ever lasts

So do not cry or shed a tear
But make the best of the time that is here
For you cannot get back or change a thing
You must make each new minute have a ring

So listen to this old man’s tale
For the mist of time is very frail
Do not waste a minute or a thought
But make life mean all that it ought

10/9/90

Life’s Goal
When I as twelve I found a goal
Wile I was at a movie
I saw a railroad surveyor set a line
And their goal was the same as mine

Now when I was growing up times were tough
It was in the thirties and living was rough
I went to work in a small garage
Sometimes I worked on trucks that were quite large

I worked on boats, planes, trucks and cars
I done quite well and worked steady hours
But I never lost my goals as an engineer
For it was always in my thoughts quite clear

I quit my job and went back to school
To study hard was my one true rule
To compete with kids much younger
Was the pressure that I was under

I went to work for the state highway
Drawing road plans all the day
But I dreamed of the days to come
When all this drawing was finally done

Then I would see the plan go through
And know of all the work to do
As they started to build this big project
To build it right was my only object

I was on some projects all around
Anywhere a bit construction job was found
When it was done and everything was right
Then I would leave the office and turn out the light

Now this is the way I passed my time
From project to project on the construction line
I would check my plan and see the job through
And I always had plenty of jobs to do

Now I am older and at an engineer’s desk
But sitting here is a real trying task
There is not much interest in the things I draw
So this is really my one big flaw

1/29/94

However, i am so grateful that my whole life has centered around my children and grateful to the man who  was their dad.  He showed them the right path in life and we instilled in them the moral values and decency in which to prosper.  I am so proud of all of them.

As we grow older material things are not so important as they were in younger years.  It’s at this stage of  life that you begin to think more of how you are going to get rid of the wrinkles, avoid the doctors and survive on your own.  If you have never lived alone, this is a scary thought.  So in that respect i have always been a dependent instead of independent.  The future can look scary sometimes.

1.  THRUSH:    This is a yeast infection that affects babies.  Any person that has not ever seen their father can blow in the babies mouth for a cure.  Can be repeated for 3 days.

2.  NIGHT-TIME COUGHING:   Rub Vicks Vaporub on the bottom of feet.  Said to work 100% of the time.

3.  COUGHS & FLU:  Make hot toddy by mixing 4 oz. honey, 4 tbsp. lemon juice and a shot of wild turkey.  Take it by the tablespoon.

4.  CURE FOR COLIC:  Take a tsp. of baby’s milk and blow cigarette smoke on it, approximately 5 puffs.

5.  EAR ACHE:   Melt some real butter and put two drops in ear.

6.  HUSBAND TALK IN SLEEP?   Grab hold of his big toe and he will tell you anything you want to know.

On the other hand your long history of experiences and knowledge is so much more to be appreciated.  It would be nice if americans could look past the gift of gab and recognize that the things that matter most are not what Obama promises.    May God speed the election in your favor.