THE SILVER THAW

The trees all crystallized they stand,
As if a fairy's magic wand
Transformed them in the silent night,
and left them sprayed in silvery white.

Tall slender saplings once so straight
Bends low beneath the icy weight,
And old king Sol's first morning rays
A dazzling spectacle displays.

White birches stand beside the hill,
they droops beneath the icy chill,
And fallen icicles below
Lies shattered on the crusted snow.

The alders and the willow trees,
Crackle and shimmer in the breeze,
But in the noonday sun's bright glare
Their coats of armour disappear.

Dame Nature with her magic wand
Spreads charm and beauty o'er the land,
But none is more unique and neat
Than trees transformed by frozen sleet.

THE POPCORN VENDER

The popcorn vender is a man
Who needs no special art,
But two strong arms and sturdy legs
He needs to push his cart.

He trudges 'long his daily route
With slow determined pace,
And now and then he halts to wipe
His hot perspiring face.

The children playing near their homes
Observes him on the street,
And with a coin clasped in their hand,
They scampers for their treat.

He serves each one a bag of corn
So crispy, moist and sweet,
And with a smile for every child,
He proceeds along his beat.

The children are his customers,
He never robs or cheats,
At every block the youngsters flock
The popcorn man to greet.

And when the sun has sank to rest,
He homeward wends his way,
And there he rests his aching feet
Until another day.

CLOUDS AND SUNSHINE

When the days seem long and dreary,
And we murmur and complain;
As we look for hours of sunshine,
But instead we find the rain;

'Though the heavens be o'er-shadowed,
And dark clouds obscure the sky,
There is still a silver lining
For the sun still shines on high.

When we meet with some perplextion,
And our worries press us sore,
As we wonder what tomorrow has
For us in future's store;

Then may we have hope and courage
That will banish inward fear,
For worries that upset us most
Seldom do they appear.

When our cares they weigh so heavy,
And the way of life seems hard,
As temptations gather 'round us
To catch us off our guard;

Then let us all endeavour
To try and do our best,
For the world will still have troubles
After we are laid to rest.

HEAVENLY VISIONS

The white robed clouds drifts slowly on
Beneath heaven's vault of azure blue,
Majestical they sail along
To other worlds beyond our view.

Whene'er the sun is sinking low
Amidst a flaming western sky,
It tints the landscape with its glow and
Headland, spire, and mountains high.

An evening rainbow's brilliant hue,
What other beauty can compare?
A symbol of God's covenant true,
And that tomorrow will be fair.

The borealis in the north,
Mysterious are these northern lights,
With dazzling speed they sallies forth
To meet the challenge of the night.

The stars like lamps hang ot by ight,
And all along the Milky Way
On wintry nights they sparkle bright
Until the dawning of the day.

A flaming sunset, evening star,
White fleecy clouds, a rainbow's hue;
What awe inspiring sights they are,
I think they're wonderful, don't you?

CARRYING ON

When we are ill, or in distress,
And lying helpless, feeling low,
We're apt to murmur and complain,
And cry "None other has such woe";

Then let us think and ponder well,
And count the many friends we know,
Then we will likely think of one
Who has a harder drill to hoe.

When we are sad or sore perplexed,
When worries seem to haunt us so,
And troubles always cross our path
In every walk of life we go;

Then may we try and do our best
To bear our load 'though steps be slow,
Ad if we stager 'neath its weight,
We're not the first to stumble so.

Then when the clouds are rolled away,
And skies are blue, soft breezes blow,
May we enjoy each day of life
While living on this earth below;

And if the ordeals of the past
Have made us strong to face the foe,
May we gives thanks for renewed strength,
And pray for weaker folks we know.

OLD SAILOR BILL

Old Bill he always loved the sea,
He was a sailor bold,
Until he had to stay on shore
As he was growing old.

He never had no family cares,
And never wooed a wife;
The sea was his ambition
And it shared his daily life.

He used to stroll down to the quay
Each day and sit around,
To watch the busy harbour tugs,
And ships all outward bound.

He loved the sea, he loved the ships,
And sitting there each day,
He fancied he could feel the splash
Of flying spume and spray.

He crossed the ocean many times,
And sailed the seven seas,
Oftimes at night in dreams he saw
White topsails in the breeze.

The young lads they would gather 'round,
And listen to his tales
Of far off lands where he had been,
And shipwrecks, storms and gales.

One day they found him very still
With head bowed on his chest,
Old Bill had ended his last voyage,
And reached his port of rest.

THE WHITE FRAME CHURCH

When e'er I hear the church bells ring
On a quiet Sabbath morn,
My thoughts go drifting back again
To the land where I was born.

Again I see that white frame church
With tombstones standing near,
And every Sabbath day the bell,
Would call the folks to prayer.

Some worshipers they lived close by,
And others far away;
The men folk they would meet and chat,
And then go in to pray.

'Twas there the children small were blest,
And marriage vows were said;
And in that plot with grass so green
We laid away our dead.

Each household had their family pew,
And every day of rest;
All would be seated in their place
Clad in their Sunday's best.

There was no choir in that old church,
But all knew how to sing,
And when they sang these good old hymns
They made the rafters ring.

I loved to go to that old church
To join in prayer and praise;
These memories will forever stay
With me through all my days.

And when the chimes of Sabbath bells
Comes floating through the air,
My thoughts go back to that old church
With tombstones standing near.

Photo: Anglican Church on Gin Cove head

BLESSINGS

How sweet is mem'ries of the past
When we were young and spry,
When every day seemed just the same,
And worries passed us by.

How sweet the sunlight and the air
After the summer's rain,
Likewise ourselves finds sweet relief
In pleasure after pain.

How sweet is sleep when weary limbs,
And brain relax in rest,
Some from their daily strenuous toil,
And some from care and stress.

How sweet to have a home and hearth
'Though poor our lot may be,
And strength to do our daily task,
Dwelling in harmony.

How sweet to have a stedfast faith
In a better world to come,
And daily press towards the goal
Until our course is run.

How sweet when we are growing old,
'Though our mem'ries not the best,
To have a sane and quiet mind,
And later, peaceful rest.

GOD'S PRESENCE

God reveals His presence
On a summer's morning,
When the dew is sparkling,
And the flowers adorning;
In a blushing rose so fair
His true handiwork appear.

God reveals His presence
Through the starlight hours,
Or when towering storm clouds
Bursts with drenching showers;
In a rainbow's arch so fair
He reveals His token there.

'Through an earthquake shatters
With the roll of thunder,
And the rushing whirl wind
Causes awe and wonder;
Then that small voice we may hear
Whispering, "Fear not, I am near".

LIFE'S BY-WAYS

Come with me and let us wander
In Life's Byways new and old,
There we'll meditate and ponder
As each role of life unfold'.

While the facts of life we're gleaning,
And we're learning wisdom's lore,
Life will have a fuller meaning
As it's by ways we explore.

JUNIOR'S TROUBLES

Arriving home at eventide,
And feeling quite alright,
My Mom she looks me up and down
And says "Oh you're a fright".

"Where have you been? Go wash yourself,
And hurry on upstairs;
Roll up your sleeves, use lots of soap,
And wash behind your ears".

And so I try to wash my face
And hands to look my best,
But after I have wiped them both
The towel looks a mess.

When I am at the bathing beach
Warm days in summer time,
I wade and splash, and swim and dive,
The water feels just fine.

But when I try to wash at home
It never feels the same,
And if I am not nice and clean
My Mom says I'm to blame.

Now I can do all kinds of stunts,
And exercise by 'heck';
But when I wash I finds it hard
To reach behind my neck.

And I can swing a baseball bat,
Or throw a ball so high,
But when there's chore to do at home
I don't feel half as spry.

SHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT

Ships are passing in the night,
While on shore, landlubbers sleep,
Far from land, and far from sight,
Tossing on the restless deep.
Weathering storms or pleasant breeze
With rich cargoes in their hold,
They're the nations life line these
'Twixt the New World and the Old.

Ships are passing in the night,
Homeward bound from o'er the foam;
From the Cape the beacon light
Flash it's message "Welcome home".
Home again, the mariner he
Mingles with his kith and kin,
And in dreams oft times he'll see
Towering white caps roll again.

Ships are passing in the night
As they round the harbour buoy,
And the flashing harbour light
Seems to hail them "Ship Ahoy".
Anchored on a moonlit bay
Where is heard the ocean's rote,
Ships their riding lights display
Like some midget town afloat.

Photo: Schooner DLT FRAMPTON. Built in Gin Cove By Edmund Frampton name after his sons Dan, Lindo & Ted

PEACE AT EVENTIDE

Through our hours of toil or leisure,
After anxious cares or pleasure,
May there be in fullest measure
Peace at eventide.

When the morning cares distress us,
Or when noon day heat oppress' us,
May there be at hand to bless us
Peace at eventide.

May we have no cause to borrow
Unknown worries for tomorrow,
May there be instead of sorrow
Peace at eventide.

When the moon on high is beaming,
And the stars so brightly gleaming,
May we have in slumber dreaming
Peace at eventide.

When at last life's day is ending
And through unknown tracts we're wending,
May there be, our souls attending
Peace at eventide.

ENIGMAS

Sometimes we may feel so despondent,
And our troubles appears quite a few,
The Old World seems all topsy turvy,
And nothing is right in our view.

We may grumble and grouch at the weather
If it's stormy, too cold or too hot;
But vain are our sad lamentations,
There's naught we can alter one jot.

We humans sometimes are an enigma,
(I trust this remark you'll excuse)
One day we are so energetic,
The next may be down in the blues.

It makes matters worse by complaining,
No matter how languid we feel,
We're not all alone in the struggle,
But just one more cog in life's wheel.

But when our depression is over,
And we feel like uniting in song,
May we say with our deepest conviction,
'Twas myself, not the world that was wrong.

GROWING UP

How pleasant are the sound of little feet
When Junior first begins to toddle 'round,
With faltering steps he ventures forth alone,
And not a prouder baby can be found.

His Dad returning home when day is done
Sits up the little toddler on his knee,
Ad listens as his prattle seems to say,
"I'm growing up, and soon a man will be."

It's not so long until the mother spies
Some little finger marks upon the door,
And topsy-turvy is the house at times
With playthings strewn around upon the floor.

Sometimes he has a fall and bumps his head,
He yells aloud and seems in awful pain,
Then Mom she quickly runs and picks him up,
And kiss' the spot, and soon it's well again.

He's growing up, and his first day at school
He tells his parents all the fun he had,
Then Dad says he is smart, and getting big,
But Mom says he is just a tiny lad.

He has grown up, and starting out one day
For his first job at office, store or mill,
His father calls him his big grown up son,
But mother thinks of him as baby still.

THE UNIVERSE

This earth with all it's fullness
Stands firm amidst the seas,
Sublime was it's creation,
Profound it's mysteries.
Vast continents and oceans
This global sphere do span,
From Greenland's icy mountains,
To India's coral strand.

The highest vault of heaven
To ocean's deepest bed,
From pole to pole extended
This Universe is spread.
All oceans living creatures,
The earth's vast human race,
And shining hosts of heaven
This Universe embrace.

Seed time, and then the harvest,
Their course the seasons run,
With winter's crystal snow flakes,
And summer's radiant sun.
On lofty white capped mountains
Lies the eternal snows,
Below in fertile valleys
The fragile lily grows.

Sublime as the Creation,
And this wide Universe
Have lasted through the ages,
Which nothing can disperse.

GOING HOME

"I'm going away" the Master said,
His disciples then were sad;
Their hearts would grieve if He should leave,
the best Friend that they had.

"But when I go" He then explained,
"A Comforter I'll send,
Be of good cheer, He will be near,
And prove a worthy Friend."

"I'm going away", these few small words
Oft' causes pangs of grief,
An aching void is felt inside,
And nothing brings relief.

Some partings often makes it hard
For those who have to stay,
And carry on with loved ones gone
Throughout each lonely day.

"I'm going home" the Master said
"To prepare a place for you,
And when ye come I'll be at home,
Then our circle we'll renew."

"I'm going home"; a different phrase
From what was used before;
When safe at home, no more we'll roam
And partings will be o'er.

NEWFOUNDLAND

O Newfoundland, isle of the sea,
Thou art the gateway to the West;
May all they future destiny
Be free from all that cause unrest.

Around thy rugged sea girt isle,
Lashed by the ocean night and day,
Thy stalwart sons in honest toil
Braves dangers midst the spume and spray.

Thy landlocked harbours, lakes and bays
Lies mirrored 'neath the moonlit sky,
And summer sunsets flaming rays
Gleams on the bold Gafftopsails high.

Thou hast fair towns and paper mills,
With teeming rivers flowing free,
And hamlets nestled 'neath the hills
Where fishing boats puts out to sea.

They headlands bold the storm defies
When towering waves seethes with unrest,
But when at peace the ocean lies,
Seagulls adorn it's placid breast.

Land of the brave, their Island home,
May Providence they future plan,
Where'er they sons and daughters roam,
They'll ne'er forget thee, Newfoundland.

(The Gafftopsails are high mountain peaks)

Photo: Gin Cove, Newfoundland

THE UNSEEN

When the dawn, replacing light
Ushers in a new born day,
All the stars that shone so bright
Fades before the sun's bright ray;
'Though from sight they disappear,
Yet unseen, they still are there.

When dark clouds obscure the sky
Blotting out it's azure blue,
Watch for cloud rifts then on high,
And the sunlight streaming through;
O'er head still the sun shines bright
'Though unseen by mortal's sight.

When we think of days gone by
While we were so young and free,
Memories that will not die
Often shares our company;
Friends long vanished from our view
'Though unseen seems near to you.

When some trouble comes our way,
And besetting ills are rife,
When the cares of every day
Dims the sunlight of our life;
'Though our way seems dark and drear,
God unseen is always near.

MIGRATION TIME

When northern lights flit o'er the sky,
And Arctic winds blow chill,
The honking geese bestir themselves
Their larders to refill.

They know migration time has come,
And soon on wings of flight,
They'll speed away to warmer climes
Far from the Arctic night.

They preen their feathers, test their wings,
And soon they're flying high,
These feathered squadrons from the north
In V-formations fly.

Their instinct is their chart and guide
By night as well as day,
Until they settle down upon
Some quiet lake or bay.

And there beneath the sunny skies
Far from the north's domain,
They spend vacation's term until
It's moving time again.

Then feathered squadrons from the south
When spring breaks winter's chain,
In V-formation back they'll fly
To northern haunts again.