Subject:  poetic letters to/from Uncle R

Dear Uncle Royle,

Reading through the bills tonight

I spotted a letter to my delight

From my favorite Uncle you can believe

A lovely letter I did receive

I never realized before,

How words of rhyme do say more

Thoughts we always kept concealed

All suddenly openly revealed

I wish I knew way back when

How much fun this would have been.

To think of all the time that's passed

Till I began to write you at last

At thirty-tow I've lived a lot

Four lovely children I have got.

I know someday I will find

A good man who will be kind.

Robbie learned a lesson last night

As he fled from home after a fight

Hours later he did come home

While I worried for my tow-headed son

He said he thought a spanking he'd have

Didn't know a man could behave

With even temper, though he was mad

At a little boy who had been bad.

Joy and peace he found inside

When he discovered our pride

When an apology he did say

To the uncle who came to stay.

Never before has this boy known

In nearly 14 years since he was born

A man who could love him truly

Who could correct with love not fury.

Today was fairly cold

With winter drawing near

Leaves turned to gold

Trees stand so tall and bare

It seems only yesterday

The flowers were in bloom

Suddenly it was May

Then winter came so soon.

I have begun to write

A poem or two at night

This brings peace to me

As I count my blessings 2 by 3

A couple I'd like to share with you

I hope you enjoy them too.

To overcome our sorrows

And bitter hurts forget

To look forward to tomorrows

With gladness tomorrows met

Son, forgive my failures

As I know I shall forgive yours

Let us help each other

To enter tomorrows doors.

Should I have lived my life o'er

I wouldn't change much

For to look at life's blessings

I sure have quite a bunch.

So I shall go to sleep tonight

With peace surrounding

Thankful for a lovely night

With memories abounding.

Christmas just around the corner

More love than money to spare

An idea proved a winner

I'm using a talent to paint shirts to wear

Ronnie has a hula girl

Grass skirt and all

When he moves she'll twirl

I bet with this shirt he'll feel tall

When he is told she is a little bare

Though covered good enough

He'll say, "Now listen here."

My mother paints this stuff.

Another one for Daryl

The grown up sailor boy

Had to think of a special gift.

For this kid's too big for a toy.

Crystal tells me Shawn,

Young as he can be,

Would proudly wear one

With a girl and a tree.

Robbie,  Derek and Danny

Thought I thought on this

A girl with a fanny

Is a treat they should miss

But knew they of my painting

They begged and pleaded hard

For it seems they're all wanting

A shirt and a Christmas card

So painting I am doing

Till late hours of the night

These boys sure are growing

To think of such a sight.

One hula girl has flowers

To David I shall give.

To his mother's sorrows

He'll be so proud of this.

Now for my dad, I will agree

A very fine man is he.

Honest and true as the day is long

He's a good man who does no wrong.

He used to sing, he and Mom

And we would dance up a storm

But now there is no time

So hard he works that dad of mine.

Hoping for a day he can retire

Starting again as after that fire

When all their dreams went up in smoke

And they had to raise the little folk

One day I'll take him out

And dance we will and we will shout

Laughter and joy for life instead

Of always making those motel beds.

The letter you shared with me

Was full of love and peace

Surely Alta is missed by all

I am proud to be her niece.

I appreciate your sharing

The letter and the words

They have the deepest meaning

Of love beyond heavens fence

If I shall ever know

The love you explain to me

Then my heart shall glow

And fill with sweet memories

Time passes  and children grow

To young women and young men

But in our hearts we know

How they used to be back then,

As I watched my son graduate

I remembered kindergarten.

And with his first love infatuation

He was so broken hearted

For youngsters do love deeply

They think for ever more

The memories they do keep

In their heart they do store

Fifteen years old he will be

On february the twenty seven

I remember when he was three

My little bit of heaven

So this letter I shall end

While some ink left in my pen

To write again another time

And such fun to make it rhyme.

From you niece

With Love

Sharon

Dear Sharon,

Your letter today I did receive

That it made me happy you may believe

When I finished reading that letter

I could understand you better

I think I know why you had trouble

In trying to go through life double

You wanted to find a man like mother had

A man to measure up to Dear old Dad

Men like him are few and far between

You remember how he is king, his wife a queen.

I know troubles you have had

With the men your children call Dad

Every couple has a lot of love with strife

As they travel the road of married life

But with a good mate and love too

The finest life is ahead of you

And long before one must die

You will both say sweeter as the years roll by

And when the time comes for one to go

The other will say "I miss you so".

For the rest of your life, Falling tears,

When you think of those happy years.

Memory is a wonderful thing

It is God's greatest blessing.

I remember going, my sister to see

To be greeted by little girls, numbering 3

How they would hug and kiss so sweet

As into my arms they would creep.

The Spoon River Poet

Royal