A Life's Story, In Poetry. Other Poems

by Dennison Woodcock

Among the spurs of Allegheny
Lofty hills with wooded heights,
Nestled in the Portage Valley
Is the little hamlet Wrights.
Hamilton and Portage Valley
By right angles, here unite;
Both together make a fairly
Good and level village site.
Limpid streams unto the river
On their way go babbling by;
While the silvery pools, they mirror
Cloudlets floating in the sky.
Growing grain and verdant meadows,
Fields of corn, silos to fill;
Winding streams and waving willows
Orchards on the sloping hill.
Cattle grazing in the pasture
On the hillside fresh and green,
With their coats of silky luster,
Many goats and kids are seen.
There's the schoolhouse at the corner,
Quiet order there appears,
Where the earnest studious learners
Are prepared for future years.
There's the church with lofty steeple,
And the old bell hanging there,
Often rings to call the people
To their sermon, praise and prayer.
Another church they are building,
The foundation they have laid;
May the golden truth be gilding
All the words that there are said.
On the switch the cars are loaded
With potatoes, grain and hay,
So the farmers are commoded
As they ship their goods away.
Hark! we hear the train a-rumbling.
People waiting for a ride;
Four times a day the mail is coming,
All aboard! Away they glide.
There's the store nearby the railroad.,
Business humming every day;
Goods are brought there by the carload
Many teams draw them away.
Another store where the farmer
Buys the tools that he may need;
From a reaper to a hammer,
Groceries with feed and seed.
The factory where they make the cheeses,
Great round cheeses, just the thing
What the most the patron pleases
Is the cash the cheeses bring.
Here the honest, frugal farmers
With the help of care and toil,
Bringing wealth into their garners,
Drawing money from the soil.
Smiles play on the the neighbors' faces,
Accent of fraternal love,
While at many times and places,
Kindly deeds their friendship prove.

CAUTION TO BOYS, or THE SILLY FLY

There was a very silly fly
Buzzing low, then flying high;
Down on paper smooth and fair
Saw some flies were sticking there.
"Those flies must be very weak,
On that paper there to stick..
If I was there I would not stay,
I would rise and fly away."
He lit down on the paper's side,
Flew a circle large and wide,
He thought to give a parting kick,
Found at last the stuff would stick.
He struggled hard to get away,
Found that he was doomed to stay;
'Twas there he sung a doleful lay
Until life had passed away.
A smart young lad would oft repair
Where the smokers gathered there;
Says "I will show you that I can
Smoke as well as any man."
His smoking made him rather sick;
Hove his breakfast very quick;
He smoked a little every day,
Learned to smoke as well as they.
Thought he could quit at any time,
With his feelings in their prime;
Refrained from smoking all one day,
Things were looking dark and gray,
"Those saucy imps they at me stare,
Trouble meets me everywhere,
Conscience whetted to an edge
By promises on memory's page.
Those broken pledges at me stare,
Fiends are floating in the air;
The Devil's got me in his gripe.
Give me, give me back my pipe!"
He, like all others of his stripe,
Lifelong slave unto his pipe,
And like the little, silly fly
Doomed to stick until they die.

THE RUINED HOME.

Behold that house on Pleasant street,
Just let us enter there;
All arrangements so complete,
Appropriate and fair.
Music in Adjoining room
So grateful to the ear;
Fragrant flowers in fullest bloom
And beauty doth appear.
Choice books there on the table lie,
Wisdom for great and small;
The pantry with its full supply;
There're pictures on the wall.
The father comes at closing day,
The mother greets with joy,
The laughing children 'round him play
He pets his toddling boy.
Peace pervades that happy place,
Where all is bright and free;
Its loving inmates go and come,
In sweetest harmony.
Grief has blighted that fair bloom,
The work of cursed rum,
The fetid breath of the saloon
Has to that dwelling come.
A thump is heard against the door,
The children flee away;
They wish to see his face no more
While whiskey rules the day.
The faithful wife opens the door,
The husband staggers in,
He stumbles prostrate on the floor,
Borne down by rum and gin.
While helping him unto his bed—
Oh! who could tell us why—
He clenched his fist and struck her head
And gave a blackened eye.
His bank deposits slip away
To the rumsellers till,
Whose business is from day to day
The drunkards' graves to fill
Piano gone by sheriff's sale,
The music hushed and still;
The mother's sigh, the daughter's wail
Now the apartments fill.
The pictures gone from off the wall,
The carpets from the floor,
To meet necessity's stern call,
Keep hunger from the door.
The daughter's jewels all are gone
Unto the broker's fled;
Her choicest clothing one by one,
To buy their daily bread.
Vultures in human form await
To make this maid their game
Should hunger, want and cruel fate
Crowd out all sense of shame.
Oh! this horrid ghastly wound,
The work of cursed rum;
Oh! can a healing balm be foundation
This side the world to come.

IN FAVOR of WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE

Our fathers thought it was a cause
Well worth their undertaking.
To fight those arbitrary laws
They had no hand in making.
The principle they now ignore,
Since we have been a nation;
Taxing women o'er and o'er,
Debarred from legislation.
Great Britain thought we would not fight
Or dare to show resistance;
They looked to might to make it right
With justice at a distance.
Woman in the background held,
Her soul for wisdom yearning
While her loving heart has swelled
With a desire for learning.
You shall not vote the men declare,
Ye daughters and your mothers.
Then go and set a hellish snare
To trap their sons and brothers.
Because the women do not fight
Use the sword or rifle
Is relegated out of sight
As a useless trifle.
The whiskey ring, her greatest foe
Oft blocks her aspirations;
It dares not let her vote we know
'Twould send it from the nation.
The colleges excluded her;
With minds of small dimension,
They tho't their lofty teachings were
Beyond her comprehension.
The sword of might can't make it right,
The woman's pen is stronger.
Her tongue and pen will tame their might,,
They can't hold our much longer.
She is keeping steady pace
With aspiring brothers,
Winning for herself a place
Among D. D's and others.
Soon her voice will resound
In halls of legislation,
Then love and justice will abound
To purify the nation.

CHRISTMAS

My many friends both large and small
A merry Christmas to you all;
We met to point, a scene we know,
Transpiring many years ago.
On the blest morning bright and fair,
Glad angels singing in the air;
Good will to men this glorious morn
We sing to all a saviour born.
With gratefulness the song prolong,
And echo back the angels' song;
With love to God, good will to men,
We gladly sing the song again.
Although His advent here on earth
It was a meek and lowly birth.
His matchless wisdom still will shine
Adown the ceaseless years of time.
We celebrate the best we can
Kind Heaven's greatest gift to man,
In mem'ry of this gift of heaven,
These many gifts are to be given.
God showed his love to everyone
By giving us his only son,
Let grateful thoughts our glad hearts move,
And celebrate God's precious love.
And let love glow in every heart.
A genial radiance impart;
Make us a heaven here below,
A taste of joy the angels know.
There is no fairer scene on earth,
Than days that mark our Saviour's birth;
The yearly blossoming of love,
While through the holidays we move.
Old and new year, met together,
One with memories, hope in the other;
Reach as we will there sure will come
A ray of joy or cloud of gloom.
The choice is as we may desire,
Can stand on mount or sink in mire;
None can look back on passing year
Not seeing good if he's sincere.
All years are good in heaven's sight,
If we but see them all aright,
So keep a watch and do good deeds,
Chance will come as time proceeds.
Let the old man on nature 'pringe,
Open his door on rusty hinge,
Look on the trees, the fields and dells
Listen to the jingle of sweet sleigh bells.
Behold the rivers, brooks and springs,
Mountains and vales till nature sings.
Let the dear children skip and play,
Enjoy their lives now while they may.
Soon they must themselves prepare
For sterner things and greater care
And when they larger, wiser, grow,
Will help the world to move and go.
Were we ourselves in proper tone,
So like the wireless telephone;
Heavenly music it might bring,
While sweet the angel voices sing.
The Christmas tree so bright and fair,
With many presents hanging there,
Loaded with gifts from top to floor,
May each on have a gift or more.

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