Grannie Jose's Poems

My dear great grandmother, Josephine Spangler, was truly a poet. Although her life was spent in the mountains of Va., she told stories of news events in several of her poems. Most though, were of life on the mountain, letters to her husband during the war, tributes to her mother, and friends. She was legally blind, and would have anyone write her poems as she spoke them, therefore several are on any kind of paper that could be found. In my collection, I even have a few that I wrote when I was a child. I was always amazed at how they just seemed to flow from her lips, and it was not easy to keep up with her when you were the one writing!Here is just one of many, and I hope to share more in the future. Her daughters also wrote some poetry and gave it to Grannie Jose, this poem below was written by Bernice Rakes to her Mom, followed by Grannie Jose's response.

Mother's Coiffure

written in 1956 by Bernice Rakes

My mother's hair is turning gray,

I helped to make the change.

Her hair would be a lovely brown

if I could rearrange .

In life, I'll live so different

I'd never fret or cry.

And when she told me what to do,

I'd never ask her why.

And if I ever had a pain

I'd face it with a smile.

I'd say "I love you" many times

I'd make her life worthwhile.

I'd say my prayers every night

and go to Sunday School

I'd read the Bible everyday

and never break a rule.

I would not wander far away

or leave her all alone.

When duty called me from her side,

I'd always hurry home.

I cannot turn the pages back

The wrongs I can't undo.

But I very well know what should have been

Now I'm a mother too.

Josephine Spangler's response

Turn not your thoughts backwards

on life's rugged way 

and brood over heartaches of yesterday.

But look at the flowers blooming so sweet

Now those that have faded and fell at your feet.

Think of today

with all of it's charms

And what the future may hold 

in her arms.

Turn your face toward the sun

and the shadows you see

will all fall behind you

where heartaches should be.