SPECIAL DAYS

Christmas, 1984

​

Oh beautiful season, how you warm our feelings

Our lights we do place so pretty upon our places

Showing to us all a reflection of our feelings

Oh happy season, how you bring a smile upon our faces.

Office parties, intermingling, do we stop to give the love

For which the season has its meaning

Do we pay enough attention to all those things above

From where the season gets its meaning?

Oh joyous season, how you create the miracle of love

Oh miraculous season, how you were created by the prince of love

Oh terrible loneliness, stay away from each of us

For it’s the season for the advent of the prince, for us.

Remembering

May 1988

Seventh Annual Memorial Day Service,

Sunday, May 29, 1988, 3:00 p.m.

Memorial Park,

Pennsylvania Avenue and Main Street,

Walkersville, Maryland.

(I dedicate these few lines, the best I can from within, trying for those proper feelings,

bringing them out as a knowing, bereaved, and grateful citizen.)

“Star Spangled Banner” –

Walkersville High School Band.

A new flag for the old –

Walkersville Boy Scout Troop 1070.

Invocation –

The Reverend Paul F Mehl,

Glade United Church of Christ.

(Our country has not been perfect; but where we have stood, one can find justice, wisdom, care, democratic ideals, and pride.  You have by your sacrifice preserved these for our good.)

 A wreath laying by Martin Barbour, Kiwanis Club.

Greetings from Jim Rice, Mayor.

Introduction of the speaker by Jon Larson, veteran.

The speaker, LTC Christopher M.  Siedor –

Director of Plans, Training, and Mobilization,

Fort Detrick.

(Destroyed, crying fathers, wanting to bring you back with their lives. Poor them and poor me if I were them.)

Band Selection --- “Armed Forces Salute”

Thanks to all from Charles Burrier,

Walkersville Memorial Day Chairman.

Benediction by the Reverend Paul F. Mehl.

Taps, a member of the Walkersville High School Band.

(Thank you, bless you, glorify you.)

Thirty to forty people in attendance.

Streets blocked off at the next intersection,

Temperature in the mid-80s,

Sun brightly shinning.

Ceremony lasted one hour.

(So little from us for so much from you.)

Pumpkin Plant

(late 1980s)

Pumpkin on the table – warmly glowing –

I left you there and went upstairs to sleep.

I rose at three, and found you hiding –

Chills ran down my back; the heck scarred out of me.

Strange sounds from the basement – broke the silence.

I went – and unfastened – then opened – the stair door;

Bright shining pumpkins were staring up at me –

So down I stepped – then fell – fell to the basement floor.

Half-dazed, thee I was – landed on my feet.

Big fat, squatty, thin-faced, multi-shaped pumpkins,

Coming down the line from the Pumpkin Plant –

Pushing past me – candle-lighted, bright new faces. 

A Pumpkin Plant was pumping out pretty pumpkins.

And then! Suddenly – I was horrified –

In line, by the Plant there were all my friends.

My friends were entering the Plant where pumpkins were made.

Grasped by my arms, huge pumpkins had me.

To the line’s end they escorted and fastened me.

Then helpless in-line towards the Pumpkin Plant –

Swish, swash – swish, swash – swish, swash – I moved.

Doors opened, I was at the Plant’s edge – scarred to death –

About to enter, and in I went.   Click, Clack.

Brandenburg Concerto, second movement –

Startled – awaked.  Time to get up at six o’clock.