THE POET

 

 

Friends of Mil's and readers of Mil's Place know that Mil left us earlier this year.   I (the "Beloved Editor") have been looking through his unposted writings, and will be selecting some for publication.  This is the first.  

  THE POET

He’s the one

That reminded us 

To see—

To see—

The universe,

The stars at night

The blue sky

Of day

The freshness

Of a dewy April morning

The clouds

The blue sky

The trees

Swaying

and shimmering in the wind

The roses

The flowers

The look of love 

In a mother’s face

As she counts the 

Fingers and toes

Of a new baby…

A baby’s first gumless giggle

Paper and pen

Would fail

To list

What we

Don’t see—

It was the poet - he did it

He reminded us 

To see

And wonder….

Mil 

MY HOPE

 Written by Mil in 2013.  It was read at his memorial service and printed on his memorial folder.  

MY  HOPE

 

That when he

Came into this world---

He might be a blessing

With his life, to others.....

 

He would be a credit to his parents...

He would be well---remembered

In his home town.

His name would appear

with honor---in the halls

of his alma mater. 

 

His memory would be ever lovingly

engraved on the hearts

Of his family, loved ones, and friends.

 

Above all, his children, and all children

He ever met, taught,

threw a ball with---

Would talk about him, when

They were old, as ONE

who helped them on their way,

and caused them to want to

lead godly lives.

 

That every note he ever sang, every

one---in praise of Jesus and

His matchless sacrifice, is still

echoing as sounds do---

Somewhere deep in the universe. 

 

That the earth would have been

the poorer, had he never been born. 

 

That his name was inscribed

in The Book of God’s Kingdom,

“On the page white and fair...”

That April day in 1947, when he said

“I believe,” and opted for Jesus.

 

Maybe one day, the Creator will say:

“Well done, thou good and

faithful servant.”

 

So may it be recorded for Eternity.

 

Amen

 

MY  HOPE

BY  MIL

12/10/13

MIL: IN MEMORIAM

 

Mil: our brilliant, funny, and creative blogger is at rest now.  He was much loved by his family and friends and will be missed greatly!  Thank you for reading and appreciating Mil's stories.

 There may continue to be new posts, as we discover unpublished writings  

SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER

See the streams of 
  living waters,
Springing from eternal    
  love,
We'll supply Thy sons
  and daughters 
And all fear of want 
  remove,
Who can faint while
 such a river
Ever flows their thirst
 to assuage,
Grace which like the
  Lord  the Giver
Never fails from age
   to  age


Glorious things of Thee
   are spoken
Zion, city of our God;
He whose word cannot
  be broken
Formed thee for his 
  own abode;
On the Rock of Ages
  founded
What can shake thy
  sure repose?
With salvation's  walls
   surrounded
Thou mayest smile at
   all thy foes."
-----
  "Glorious Things of
     Thee Are Spoken"
   ....John Newton
           (1725-1857)
.....Hymn Tune:
    "Austrian  Hymn,"
        Franz J. Haydn
           (1732-1809)

(One of the great hymn      
     tunes... of the world) 
------
Mil
8 MARCH 2021
Photo "BANFF".   
  by Connor Moore,
           (29/18)


"

MY FIRST ROCKET....WASN'T REALLY....A ROCKET

 

Go with me into the

  long ago dim pages

   of early U.S. times..

--------

WWII had just ended.

We grade school kids

had helped win it by

gathering scrap metal,

building P51 airplane 

models, and digging 

foxholes  on vacant

neighborhood lots.

We, at our house, every

morning while eating

our scrambled eggs...

or oatmeal and toast,

listened every 

morning  to KICA   before school.

 It was the time

of all the fighting in Europe

and the B-17 raids, like

the actor Jimmy Stewart

flew.

It was the time of great

songs-- "There'll be blue

birds over the White Cliffs

of Dover," and "We'll meet

again...don't know where,

don't know when...but I 

know we'll meet again 

some sunny day."

The old Poet can still 

sing 'em -all of 'em to

you...80 years later.

(So ...when did you 

"get a ROCKET?")

Interesting story--that.

Right  after the war  ended

and the boys were 

coming  home- I reckon

spring of '46' --we still

listened to KICA, every

morning.

The  station

had added a chit chat

program, with local news,

weather, and

right at the end of the

program  they had a 

daily JOKE-TELLING 

contest. You mailed your

favorite joke to KICA,

and if they read it-

you got an award! Kids

ate this up, big time.

I entered with  a

WWII joke about Adolf,

the Nazi guy,  my grand-

dad had told me...but I

didn't catch it    at all...

until he explained it. I

guess you could call it--

a sort of old-timey joke.

("Why didn't Hitler have

anything to carry his 

clothes in?" "Because 

he lost his grip in Russia.")

I never thought it was 

very funny but sent it

in anyway.. AND WON!

Got a letter saying "pick

up your award at 

Western Auto, near the

Hotel Clovis, on Main Street."

IT WAS A 

ROCKET.

Not the kind you're

thinking! That goes into

space! No sir:

    It was a "Reynold's

    Rocket," one of the

    new Ball Point Pens!

It was sky blue, maybe 

six inches long and with

a silver pocket clip...but

was really too long to 

carry in a shirt pocket.

It came in a round

plastic tube, with some

paper of 

instructions

the ink was blue

and balled up on the end

of the pen. 

I proudly showed the 

clerk my winning letter

and he nodded toward

a counter halfway back

in the store ...it had

those little glass dividers

and all kids of "notions."

That store is long-gone,

but I could take you right

to that counter today,

from memory, and pick

up a Reynold's even 

now...fork you see--

kids in those times didn't

have much stuff  or 

ever win anything.

A great thing had been

introduced to the world

with the ball point pen.

As time went along, the

points were improved

and the ink doesn’t  "ball up".

The CROSS Company,

one of the greats, has

provided the world with

the finest of pens.

Where my first ticket 

went ...who can tell...

wish I'd kept it.

------

MIL

16 FEBRUARY 2021

LESSONS FROM NATURE

 

Lessons from Nature

by Billy Gilbreath, Guest Writer

                                From Acorns

Alive, growing and still standing strong in the elements

Quercus texana, the famous live oak, the sturdy one

Unlike, others, its liveliness is always present by color

 leaves, tough, the branches seem sturdy and strong.

Those roots must be embedded and giving support

                                   That Daring Finch

Swinging on the feeder, a sock like, filled with seeds

Even the wind, doesn’t prevent its desire to succeed

Though the rewards seem small, the effort is present

Below those present pecking and gulping the obvious

The large grains, the broken ones and those falling

Falling from those above who continue with struggle.

                                       Others About

Awaiting without patience and without an invitation.

Those who become warriors and rush to interrupt

Taking, fighting, scaring away those who struggle.

Soon to leave, leaving the hidden for those returning

Grackles, Surely they must ha have an ecological purpose

 

                                      Prairie Dogs

Still around and still giving a lesson to be learned

Working together to warn of danger, signals

Below the surface with so much organization within

Returning to the openings with moments of clearance

Sharing their abodes with one of a different specie

Yet, suffering to survive the interruption of progress.

                                      Lessons

WE  find a lesson in each of these perhaps not obvious

A challenge for all as you considers and contemplate

Surely, Nature presents a lesson often not seen.

Ponder,  as those of old and even receive a lesson.

Billy Gilbreath

Fo rMIL'S January 16, 2021

DONCHA KNOW

DONCHA KNOW

by Billy Gilbreath, Guest Writer

Doncha Know

Doncha know that running in the hall is wrong

She caught me the next day, I was running again

 Mabel White, the mean one, caught me easily

Hiding nearby as a hunter would await its prey

                          Gotcha

Doncha know that that sign in black and white

Plainly stated clearly slow down to thirty-five

A black and white vehicle with a turning red light

Doncha know that there aren’t legitimate excuses

                            Gotcha

Doncha know eating those garden-fresh carrots

Will improve your ability to see those road signs

Need proof, read about the English and the Germans

Seems the Germans were convinced of the belief.

                              Gotcha

Doncha know that handling toads cause warts

Grandma and Grandpa both gave me warning

Got wart but perhaps not from touching a toad

Not a gotcha this time but sure others in time

                               Gotcha

Doncha know the song His Eye Is on the Sparrow

Sung for years and believed by those who sang

Is one we can sing today because in His Word

Matthew 6:26 reveals the caring of the birds

Are you not better than they?  Gotcha Again

                              I Hope Not.

Billy Gilbreath

After my discussion with Joey

FOR MIL'S: January 18, 2021