My Daddy, Mr. Ed

 

To the young men in town
my daddy was Mr. Ed.
He knew them by name.
They respected what he said.

He helped them grow into men
and taught them how to hit and catch a ball.
To the boys in Hattiesburg,
my daddy was ten feet tall.

He started his coaching career
at the field near Jaycee Park.
His team was called Coca-Cola,
and they played games after dark.

But then Daddy’s hours were changed,
and he started working until nine.
No more coaching Little League.
He reluctantly had to decline.

Along came the Morning League.
Someone was always at our door,
turning in registration papers;
he was busy with baseball once more.

He started t-ball
and a softball team for girls.
The sport of baseball
was Daddy’s little world.

We shared Daddy, my sisters and I
with children who wanted to play ball.
Oh how proud I am of Mr. Ed!
My daddy who was ten feet tall.

Mr. Ed

 

We shared our daddy, my sisters and I
with the boys and young men of Hattiesburg.
He was known all over town as Mr. Ed.
On Saturday mornings he could be found on the ball field
walking from one field to the next,
checking to see if things were running smoothly.

To the boys on the fields and in the dugouts
my daddy was ten feet tall.
Sometimes feared,
always respected and loved,
he watched boys mature into men,
taught them to catch and hit a ball,
and a special few how to hunt.

He never met a stranger,
was full of compassion and
quick to tear.
Such a man was he,
my daddy,
Mr. Ed.

The Boss

There’s a pesky little hummingbird
At my feeder today
He thinks he’s the boss
I wish he’d go away!

He perches at the top of the tree
Patiently lying in wait
Hoping to catch an unsuspecting hummer
Sampling the sweet sugary bait.

As soon as they get near
the edge of the feeder
He dashes out to meet them
like he's a Wal-Mart greeter.

But he doesn’t say welcome
He just rushes them away
So that he can keep the feeder
For his greedy self all day.

Well I’ve got news for him
That pesky little hummer
I’m not changing his feeder
For the rest of the summer.

Bunny Talk

I peered into the garden
and overheard the bunny say,
“Oh what a wonderful time
I’m going to have today!
When that pesky little dog comes out
I’ll show him a thing or two.
I’ll have him running in circles
before the day is through.
I’ll nibble on the flowers.
I like the cone flowers best!
They’re my favorite flowers
More scrumptious than the rest!
Then I’ll take a little siesta
during the heat of the afternoon.
Then come out fresh and rested
to welcome the night and the moon.”

Blackberry Picking

After a delicious family dinner
Our hostess cheerfully announced
I have blackberry bushes in need of picking
So out the door we quickly pounced.

Armed with a pint container
Hoping to pack it to the rim
We attacked the blackberry bushes
With vigor and with vim.

Eagerly like little children
Hunting for hidden Easter eggs
We searched for luscious blackberries
Running on not so nimble legs.

Stooping down and looking low
Gave us a super surprise
So many tempting blackberries
Right before our “berry” eyes

One for the container
And one succulent berry to eat
Yum! These juicy blackberries
Are such a tempting treat!

We finished picking for the evening
But made plans to soon come back
The blackberry bushes are just bursting
We could have filled a sack!

Snowed In

 

There we were
surrounded by snow
in every direction.
The twisting mountain road
completely hidden.

We dared not stop in fear
of being snowed in.
So we continued to creep along.
The motor home suddenly
began to skid.

We held our breath
and forgot to breathe.
Tension was in the air.
We prayed out loud
and silently.

The driver corrected the skid
and continued on the lonely road
The snow poles
on each side of the road
served as our only guide.

The time moved so slowly
and the snow appeared endless.
There was no sign of life--
no cars on the road
or animals in the field.

How could we be so foolish?
We failed to listen
to the warnings given.
Check the weather and road conditions
before you start out.

After what seemed like hours
we spotted another vehicle.
Our spirits rose
with this sign of life.
Our prayers had been answered.

A Memory From the Past

Walking home from school
with a bounce in my step
anxious to arrive home.

Finally the welcoming oak tree
comes into view
and beckons me home.

I race down the driveway
arriving at the side door
it slams noisily behind me.

I rush to the kitchen
and see Mother standing in front of the sink
wearing her favorite apron.

She turns to greet me
with a smile
on her face.

I dash to the stove
still warm from lunch
I call out to Mother

“What’s for dinner?”