Some homespun, Hickman-originating, poems from my Dad

[Darrell KSR]

Dad wrote well over 300 poems and I thought I might share a few from time to time in this thread. Here's the first one he ever wrote--at age 11, in 1945. It was about his Mom, who died when he was only 5 years old. I hope this isn't a waste of internet space, and I don't intend to flood the board with a bunch of them, but just a few selected ones.

Mom was born 1-12-1913, died 2-27-1940, age 27.
This is the first poem I wrote, age 11, in 1945. No
words have been changed, only punctuation.
Sophia Jewel Simmons Cartwright - "MOM"

(TO MOM-MA)
Shortly after my birth, my Mother took sick,
I believe Fate was playing one of her awful tricks,
Yes my Mother caught the disease of T. B.,
She probably knew she'd never live,
To raise my brother and me!

She was in bed and out of bed,
For nigh on to two years,
And I believe every day She prayed,
I know She shed a lot of tears.

About two or three months before She died,
She got worse and stayed in bed,
And almost everyday I believe She cried,
For She knew She would soon be dead!

And then late one afternoon,
On a nice, sun shiny day,
My Mother kneeled beside her bed,
I know that She kneeled to pray,

Oh I wish I could've heard her prayer that day,
It's something I really hated to miss,
I don't know the words my Mother did say,
But I'm sure it went something like this....,

"Oh my dear Father in Heaven,
I know I am going away,
But before I go please listen,
To the things I have to say,
You know I have two boys living,
My only girl died one night,
I do wish You'd let me live Lord,
And raise my children right."

"But if it's your untold desire,
For me to pass away,
Please keep my boys alive Lord,
And learn them how to pray!"
"Oh Lord let them grow up,
To be gentlemen, good and fine,
I'll close my prayer by saying Thank You Lord,
And I'm ready to go, anytime."

Now this is the story I'm telling to You,
She left and went to His Grace,
Now that I've finished, I'll say this story is true,
And She died with a smile on her face!

[BigBluePappy]

Having trouble swallowing with this sudden lump in my throat.

[kingcat]

Having trouble swallowing with this sudden lump in my throat.

I feel the same way. My Dad left with a smile on his face also.

[Padukacat]

Thanks for sharing, there is nothing like the written word

[Darrell KSR]

Read at his funeral.

(I'M GOING TO BE ALRIGHT!)
There are tears of sadness,
And there are tears of delight,
Please don't shed tears for me,
Cause I'm going to be alright!
I remember all those years ago,
It was a wonderful Sunday night,
When Jesus began to abide in me,
He said,"You're gonna be alright!"

I had accepted Jesus as my Savior,
Was baptized one morning about 10,
Immediately, I changed my behavior,
And asked Jesus, to forgive my sins!
This doesn't mean my life had no sin,
With a willing spirit but a flesh so weak,
I didn't sin just once, but time and again,
Each time it seems I heard Jesus speak!

He said, "you know I've told you before,
Your sins are forgiven, and forevermore,
I won't remember, as I don't keep score,
But you need to repent, and sin no more!"
Said "You may recall, in the book of Luke,
I ate with sinners, & some tried to rebuke,
But I said the righteous, I'll not sentence,
I've come to call, sinners to repentance!"

His Blood on the Cross, and what it meant,
Is He died for me, that's why He was sent,
God so loved the world, He gave His Son,
I believed in Him, so at death I'm not done,
My best decision wasn't made with my wife,
Nor was it made, with material things in life,
My best decision, was to take His advice,
And accept as Savior, my Lord Jesus Christ!

The best decision is to accept Lord Jesus,
His reason for coming, wasn't to please us,
He came to give His life, to save those lost,
& I got free will, by His Blood on the Cross!
If you could see me now, my face is glowing,
You would say, "he's happy and it's showing,"
And you would be right, for I died knowing,
Eternity is with Jesus, that's where I'm going!
(Richard C. Sept. 2017 - (C).

[Darrell KSR]

I finally figured out how to "mass-print" from a Gmail account (easy--just import into Microsoft Outlook, then quick print by label).

The interesting thing is, I have discovered well over 600 poems he wrote. There's a few duplications, but by and large, many of which I had not seen previously. I told my brother and he is thrilled, especially for his son, who was very close to my Dad, and wanted the poems more than anything.

[Darrell KSR]

Richard Cartwright
April 7, 2014 · Monroe, LA ·

In Kentucky It's GO BIG BLUE!
I can remember before I was born,
Momma got excited early one morn,
Kentucky was playing and winning too,
Momma was shouting "GO BIG BLUE!!
Three months later I was born alive,
A good set of lungs, a will to survive,
My parents were happy, and I was too,
But still, what is this "GO BIG BLUE"?

I grew up quick and I went to college,
Got real smart with all that knowledge,
A straight A student, I knew what to do,
So I started shouting, "GO BIG BLUE"!
I went to the games to see the CATS play,
Rupp arena's the best, so what can I say?,
Never saw such a crowd could raise the roof.
Shouting "Go Big Blue," and that's the truth!

So it was tall and proud, that the Wildcats stood,
Played for the Title, and did the best they could!
From the East coal mines, to the West Hickman flood.
They shouted "GO BIG BLUE!" it was in their blood!!!!

[Darrell KSR]

Not a poem, but thought you guys might enjoy this.

This is a picture from my Dad's old Yearbook. If you'll notice the righting at the right hand side, that is marked out in pencil, it says "my future husband" and some stuff there. That was written by my Dad's girlfriend at the time, the lady he married 57 years later.

My mom wrote at the top left, "Married for good!" on the picture. It was always funny to me to see the picture growing up. Who knew that my Dad would actually do both--be married for good (49 years, 11 months and one week) to my Mom in the "married for good" part, and still be "my future husband" for his 2nd wife, married four years ago?