Butterfly

One night I had a wondrous dream,
I wished it could be true.
I dreamt that we were butterflies
And I was wed to you.

We sailed in the golden sunshine,
And danced hour after hour.
Then we rested for awhile,
On a slender fragrant flower.

To fly again. Oh, on and on,
Down through a wood and glade,
To meet a fairy princess,
With a wand of crystal jade.

She was the matron of the woods,
The dew drops and the springs.
She was the mother of us all,
All natures pretty things.

She serves us with a luncheon,
Gave us nectar from a flower.
We were supremely happy,
In her woodland bower.

Now when I see a butterfly,
Floating through the Autumn haze;
I wish that I could sail with him,
For days and days and days.

Gilbert Clemens
1937

Blind Man

Today I saw a blind man
With a cane across his knees.
Sitting on a rustic bench
Beneath the elm trees.

I spoke to him some kindly words
To brighten up his day.
A bright smile flashed across his face
In a childish sort of way.

As he moved over on his bench
To make more room for me;
A feeling of pain pierced my heart
For those who can not see.

Gilbert Clemens
1935

~Four years ago my daughters entered the school talent show. They’d given up on voice and piano lessons; what would be our talent? Mom to the 911 call/rescue. I borrowed a couple poems from my grandfather’s collection(see above poems) and she rehearsed and rehearsed with a girlfriend from India. The pair were quite something on stage, one in white silk and one in colorful jeweled linen. Speaking their memorized poems followed with a standing ovation(my memory), for which the scale of proud was broken; the music teacher added more poetry the next year and I’d like to think I had a hand in that. After all, not all of us are singers or instrument musicians. Somewhere, I have the video. Crazy thing is by the time they get to middle school shyness sets in and stage productions are over for some. My gardenlilie.com words are copyrighted. I give credit to google for the pictures. I am trying to find out if sharing is still allowed. If anyone knows, inform me please. Thanks for coming!
Caroline Clemens