My Grandparents

There is a place I used to go often that is so very important to my family. Our grandparents lived there. My dad was raised there. I have spent countless summers there - Camp Wakonda in Racine, MO. This place is important to many people because of the love and friendships formed there. That is one reason I love it so much. I have also truly felt the Lord's presence by the stream, in the tabernacle, and even in my cabin during bedtime devotions. But what else makes it so special for me is that I feel my Grandma and Grandpa there, too. A piece of our family's history is etched in the soil, hovers in the air so pungent that it's almost tangible. I know how very much it meant to them; and since I was a little girl, it's meant so very much to me because of them.

My cousin April is blessed to have a book of poems of my grandmother's. She sent this to me today and made me reminisce about how I used to spend the summers of my youth. I love to see the perspective of Grandma, observing her husband and all he did in the place he loved so much.

KEEPER OF THE GROUNDS

THE CONTRACT CALLED FOR YOU TO CLEAN THE POOL
AND MOW THE GRASS, AND CHECK THE LIGHTS AND FUEL
AND KEEP THE WATER STANDARD HIGH
AND KNOW WHERE TOOLS WERE KEPT, AND WHY,
AND CLEAN OLD BIRDS NESTS OUT OF EVE AND RAFTER -
NO CARE OF YOURS - THE CHILDRENS GRIEF AND LAUGHTER -
KEEPER OF THE GROUNDS

BUT THEN THERE CAME A DAY YOU WANDERED NEAR
THE ARCHERY CLASS, AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR
THE VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTOR DIDN'T KNOW
ENOUGH ABOUT THE SPORT TO BRACE A BOW,
AND YOU HAD TAUGHT A CLASS THE YEAR BEFORE -
SO NOW YOU ADDED ON THIS ONE JOB MORE -
KEEPER OF THE GROUNDS

I SAW A FIRST YEAR CAMPER FAR FROM HOME,
CONFUSED, UNSURE, A PARAGON TO SOME
BEGINNING COUNSELORS. THEY FAILED TO UNDERSTAND
AND AT THIS TIME I SAW YOU LAY YOUR HAND
UPON HIS SHOULDER; SAY YOU UNDERSTOOD.
IN HALF CARESS, HALF IN DEMAND, YOU SAID, "BE GOOD"!
KEEPER OF THE GROUNDS.

A HOMESICK LITTLE GIRL WAS VERY SAD -
WANTING TO SEE HER PET SKUNK - AND HER DAD-
WOULD A WEE, GREEN GRASS SNAKE HELP TO DRY HER TEARS?
BRING BACK A SUNNY SMILE? ALLAY HER FEARS?
I THINK SHE NAMED IT FREDDY AFTER YOU.
AND TOOK IT HOME WITH HER WHEN CAMP WAS THROUGH -
KEEPER OF THE GROUNDS.

THE GRASS MAY GROW A LITTLE HIGHER NOW -
SMALL JOBS HAVE REALLY MULTIPLIED, SOMEHOW!
BUT TEACH THE LAD - CONSOLE THE LASS -
A YOUTHFUL LIFE IS MORE THAN GRASS -
AND AS YOU GO ABOUT YOUR WORK EACH DAY
A SMILE, A WORD OF CHEER, WILL MARK YOUR WAY.
KEEPER OF THE GROUNDS.

WRITTEN BY INEZ MAY PRICE CRAKER

This poems makes me smile. I can see Grandpa taking over the archery class ~ hear him telling the little boy to "be good", helping a homesick little girl.... can't you? *sigh* i do miss them. thought you would enjoy. love ya.