Poems & Other Scribbles by CoffeeChlo

My daughter, Chloe, started a blog featuring her own poetry and some of the music she loves!
She is the daughter who was born in Australia 20 years ago!
She loves painting, writing and music
which are traits handed down from my mom's side of the family, 
though I tell Chloe that I was constantly singing to her and her siblings when I  was expecting her!
We sang the patriotic songs I learned in grade school:
This Land Is Your Land, The Star-Spangled Banner, My Country T'is of Thee, America the Beautiful
And every children's song that I could think of:
Daisy, Daisy, The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze, In The Good Ol' Summertime,
Hey Diddle, Diddle and the whole album of a wonderful lullaby cassette that I received as a gift when I was expecting our first child in 1990 featuring songs called The Appalachian Lullaby, Tomorrow We'll Go to the Fair, Look at Teddy, and Raindrops. 
We sang all the hymns and church songs, too, that we loved so much: Jesus, Tender Shepherd, Jesus Loves Me, I Am So Glad, Day by Day, When We Walk With The Lord,  When He Cometh, Within Thy Wings.
We learned all kinds of Australian children's songs and discovered the singing group, "The Wiggles".
It was so cute listening to Miss Polly Had A Dolly in an Aussie accent!
And since our oldest, Shane, attended prep grade in Australia, we learned the Australian National Anthem, Australia Fair, and I still catch myself singing it from time to time!
Life was less busy in those days living so far from home without a lot of extra activities. 
I would walk in the neighborhood close to the school with the girls while Shane was in school and sing the whole time! No one seemed to be out and about in the neighborhood and the girls loved it.
We sang all the songs again at bedtime!
Chloe would then grow up to be the one child who actually liked to recite poetry, and the other day she inspired our whole homeschool class with typing out their own writings along with accompanying artwork!
So, anyway, here is Chloe's blog!
I hope you enjoy it!
https://coffeechlo.wordpress.com/

A Poem for Mom's Birthday

Songs For My Mother: Her Hands

by Anna Hempstead Branch

My mother's hands are cool and fair,

They can do anything.

Delicate memories hide them there

Like flowers in the spring.

When I was small and could not sleep,

She used to come to me,

And with my cheek upon her hand

How sure my rest would be.

For everything she ever touched

Of beautiful or fine,

Their memories living in her hands

Would warm that sleep of mine.

Her hands remembered how they played

One time in meadow streams,

And all the flickering song and shade
Of water took my dreams.

Swift through her haunted fingers pass

Memories of garden things;

I dipped my face in flowers and grass

And sounds of hidden wings.

One time she touched the cloud that kissed

Brown pastures bleak and far;

I leaned my cheek into a mist

And thought I was a star.

All this was very long ago

And I am grown;but yet

The hand that lured my slumber so

I never can forget.

For still when drowsiness comes on

It seems so soft and cool,

Shaped happily beneath my cheek,

Hollow and beautiful.

Happy birthday, Mom!

I love you so much and am so thankful God gave me You!
I know how much you love poems and I can find so many beautiful ones that I know you'd love but remember that time when your neighbor cut down the tree in his front yard and you were so mad that you sent him the Tree poem anonymously!
That was so funny!
And what about you trying to get Dad interested in all the poetry stuff and he just doesn't get it! You can't figure out how anyone on this earth couldn't appreciate poetry! 
Ha, ha! At least I can sympathize with you a little bit!  I am so glad you introduced poetry to me all those years ago! It's just another gift to enjoy!
Maybe you can write a poem for your birthday-maybe about your little trip to Saugatuck!
Again, remember how much you are loved!

Trees
by Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth's sweet-flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day.
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

An Easter Wish

I know it's been awhile since I've written. 
For a while I thought maybe it's already been written somewhere else.
Do I have anything worth sharing that hasn't already been said?
Deep in my heart I feel a tug to continue writing on this bit of space.
Maybe some tiny word will bring a bit of light to someone's heart!
Maybe.
I am willing, though slow I am. (tiny sigh)

But my heart feels happy!
Easter is here!
Such a beautiful story God has written with the blood of His precious Son!

Our little home school had each child read aloud an Easter poem.
Michael Hague's Family Easter Treasury is a beautiful book with beautiful illustrations and wonderful stories and poems of Easter.

Here are a few we read:

An Easter Wish
Anonymous

May the glad dawn
of Easter morn
Bring joy to thee.

May the calm eve
Of Easter leave
A peace divine with thee.

May Easter night
On thine heart write,
O Christ, I live for thee.


Easter's Coming
Aileen Fisher

Through the sunshine,
through the shadow,
down the hillside, 
down the meadow.
little streams
run bright and merry,
bursting with the news
they carry,
singing, shouting,
laughing, humming,
"Easter's coming,
Easter's coming!"


The Gospel According to St. Matthew 28:1-6:

 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.  
And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

May your hearts be filled with hope and happiness this Easter!

Sheep and Lambs

I took the children to the petting farm yesterday and we fell in love with the lambs frolicking in the farmyard.

Our one-year old squealed with delight! We were all squealing with delight!

They were so adorable~frolicking without a care in the world!

We were just so happy to be there at the farm on a sunny Spring day watching these darling little animals play!

A mama sheep was in labor! We will be heading back to the farm today to see if her babies were born!

I came across this poem as I was looking for something appropriate for Easter. It is from an old book I picked up from a used book sale years ago~"Poems for Red Letter Days"

Sheep and Lambs by Katharine Tynan Hinkson

All in the April morning,

April airs were abroad;

The sheep with their little lambs

Pass'd me by on the road.

The sheep with their little lambs

Pass'd me by on the road;

All in an April evening

I thought on the Lamb of God.

The lambs were weary, and crying

With a weak human cry,

I thought on the Lamb of God

Going meekly to die.

Up in the blue, blue mountains

Dewy pastures are sweet:

Rest for the little bodies,

Rest for the little feet.

All in the April evening,

April airs were abroad;

I saw the sheep with their lambs

And thought on the Lamb of God.

Have a beautiful Easter!

Springtime poem

My Mom loves poetry and she will send me a poem that she thinks I will like. This is one of my favorites! In the heart of a bulb Is a promise of Spring. In a little blue egg There's a bird that will sing. In the soul of a seed Is a hope of the sod. In the heart of a child Is the Kingdom of God. ~Anonymous I hope your Spring is filled with sunshine in your hearts!

Laugh, Little Fellow

I came across this poem and fell in love with it!

It is a wonderful reminder to me to be happy always! I have so much to be thankful for!

Laugh, little fellow, laugh and sing

And just be glad for everything!

Be glad for morning and for night,

For sun and stars that laugh with light,

For trees that chuckle in the breeze,

For singing birds and humming bees~

Be one with them, and laugh along

And weave their gladness in your song.

Laugh, little fellow, laugh and sing

And coax the joy from everything;

Take gladness at its fullest worth

And make each hour an hour of mirth,

So that when on the downward slope

Of life the radiant sky of hope

Will bend above you all the way

And make you happy, as today.

Written by Wilbur D. Nesbit

Spring

We are so excited that Spring is here.

We saw 1 week old baby lambs at the farm the other day and knew Spring HAD to be here!

God's own sign to us that indeed it is SPRING!

A time of renewal!

A time of refreshment!

A time of hope!

Here, again, is another poem that my sweet mother found for me!

Though she is a poet herself, she did not write this one.

We do not even have a title for it.

Here it is:

In the heart of a bulb

Is a promise of Spring.

In a little blue egg

There's a bird that will sing.

In the soul of a seed

Is a hope of the sod.

In the heart of a child

Is the Kingdom of God.

~Anonymous

Enjoy your Spring!

PS. The artwork is from Allposters.com and is called Spring Flowers c. 1851 by George Smith

Bless Our Happy Home

The snow is falling, falling, falling!

It is so beautiful!

I feel quite blessed to be able to have all of my children home today, even my big 19 year old!

We are all safe and sound and do not have to rush about.

Dear dad had to venture to work so prayers are with him for a safe journey.

Oh, the snow! From the inside looking out it is so beautiful and peaceful!

It seems to bring peace into my heart, also!

I am suddenly reminded of a time when I was a little girl reciting a poem for my Grandma and Grandpa Storm.

I guess this peaceful morning turned my thoughts to peaceful and happy times and the gift of remembering my dear grandparents who have long gone to their Heavenly home.

See how God gives gifts even when we do not look for them?

So here is the poem I remember memorizing and reciting for Grandma and Grandpa when I was about 8 years old.

The Little Doll by Charles Kingsley-1800's

I once had a sweet little doll, dears,

The prettiest doll in the world;

Her cheeks were so red and so white, dears,

And her hair was so charmingly curled.

But I lost my poor little doll, dears,

As I played in the heath one day;

And I cried for her more than a week, dears;

But I never could find where she lay.

I found my poor little doll, dears,

As I played in the heath one day:

Folks say she is terribly changed, dears,

For her paint is all washed away,

And her arm trodden off by the cows, dears,

And her hair not the least bit curled:

Yet for old sakes' sake she is still, dears,

The prettiest doll in the world.

~May you all find little gifts in your day today!

~And may God bless all of you!

~Love, Laura

Speak Gently

This poem is just a nice reminder to "rule by love than fear."

Speak Gently by David Bates

Speak gently; it is better far
To rule by love than fear;
Speak gently; let no harsh word mar
The good we may do here.
Speak gently to the young, for they
Will have enough to bear;
Pass through this life as best they may,
'Tis full of anxious care.

Speak gently to the aged one,
Grieve not the careworn heart
Whose sands of life are nearly run;
Let such in peace depart.
Speak gently to the erring; know
They must have toiled in vain;
Perchance unkindness made them so;
Oh, win them back again!

Speak gently; 'tis a little thing
Dropped in the heart's deep well;
The good, the joy, that it may bring,
Eternity shall tell.


"She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Proverbs 31:26

The Lamb

This is one of my favorite poems. It is by William Blake from 'Songs of Innocence', 1789.

It reminds me of all the sweet children in this world that were created so perfectly by God, each one having their own little gifts and blessing the world around them! If every child in this world knew that they were created perfectly and thus geniuses in that they were 'knit together' with so much love and by the most masterful Creator ever, I believe that we would have a little more happiness in this world. So I want to dedicate this poem to all the children in the world that no matter what the world sees them as, that God sees them perfect as He created them down to every last detail to be His perfect little child!

The Lamb by William Blake

Little Lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Gave thee life, and bid thee feed

By the stream and o'er the mead;

Gave thee clothing of delight,

Softest clothing, wooly, bright;

Gave thee such a tender voice,

Making all the vales rejoice?

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:

He is called by thy name,

For he calls himself a Lamb.

He is meek, and he is mild;

He became a little child.

I a child, and thou a lamb,

We are called by his name.

Little Lamb, God bless thee!

Little Lamb, God bless thee!

"Ode To Leaves" by Elizabeth Storm Ramberg

Drifting to the earth they bring
Their silent song of bittersweet remembering.
Upon the grove and garden wall
Not a murmer, not a call.

They leave tall oaks and maples bare.
These innocents in red and gold
Who richly dressed the meadows bold.
And fairer stood on green and glen
Now fall to never rise again.

Triumphant is the hand of death
Who marks them his with one cold breath.
Ah! Autumn leaves once lovely lie
On some soft flower bed to die.

~My Mother wrote this poem several years ago. She wrote it out for me and I had it tucked in my Bible. Now that it is Fall, it seems the perfect time to share it!

~The kids are going to gather leaves today and then they will trace them with paint on the windows. Use a cut up sponge and clip a snap-style clothespin to it to dab the paint around the leaf. If you put a drop of dish soap with the paint, it will be easy to wipe off when Fall is over.

~One year I gathered a bunch of fall branches, tied a beautiful green satin ribbon to it and hung it on my front door. I plan on doing that this year, too. Also, a bunch of fall stems look beautiful in a vase inside the house. Really, all we need to decorate our homes is what God has already designed!

~Enjoy your Fall! It is my favorite time of year! Lenny and I were married in the Fall 20 years ago! I know, I can't believe it myself!

P.S. I had my very first sale on my etsy site the other day! I am so excited! It gives me more enthusiasm to keep up with my sewing and design! I am also excited to start selling vintage clothing and accessories. I have a little collection of things already just waiting for me to take photos of! I will also be sewing and posting women's accessories, etc. I am having so much fun!

Summer by Edgar A. Guest

Good Morning, Sunshine!
Summer is still here. Let's not let the Back-to-school sales tell us otherwise! We can still enjoy the blessings of summer! After reading this sweet poem by Edgar A. Guest, we can close our eyes and savor our summer!

Bees are in the blossoms,
Birds are on the wing,
Roses climb, and summertime
Is kissing every thing.
Little pansy faces
Wink and smile at me,
And far and near there's not a tear
That human eye can see.

There's beauty in the garden,
There's beauty in the sky,
The stately phlox and hollyhocks
Have put their sorrows by.
The gentle breath of summer
Has blown the cares away;
All nature sings, for morning brings
Another lovely day.

Yet some are blind to beauty
And some are deaf to song;
The troubled brow is heard to vow
That all the world is wrong.
And some display their sorrow,
and some bewail their woe
And some men sigh that love must die
And summertime must go.

Yet some there are who blossom
Like roses in the sun,
Who dare to climb in summertime
When all their care is done.
They hide 'neath smiles of beauty
The sorrows they have borne,
They seem content that God hath sent
Another lovely morn.