We were young men from Wheeling–
Mac and Wally and Ted and I–
Thrown together by chance, or fate
When we joined the *CCC.
We had such good times
After we returned home.
We became life-long friends.
Mac and Ted lived alone in town.
Mac’s and Ted’s stepmothers threw them out after
They came in too many times after midnight.
Walter only had his dad who lived in Pittsburgh,
But he was able to stay with an older sister.
All four of us once tried to sell home appliances.
Mac was the only one who ever got really good.
He ended up always selling something.
Ted was the first to get killed in an auto accident.
Unfortunately, Mac ended up an alcoholic.
Lost his wife and children because he never quit.
Walter finally went into his dad’s trade—house painting.
He was phenomenally good at it, too.
He taught me (Bob) enough to earn a living.
Walt ended up in life very lonely. He had no children.
And his heart broke when his wife died.
I managed to get lucky, married an Irish gal
Who straightened me up. Of course, I wasn’t alcoholic.
We lived together fifty-four years, happily.
It has been very lonely since she died but,
I do have some wonderful memories to cheer.
*Civilian Conservation Corps
SPLINTERS FOR JULY 2023
HOLD ME
Hold me
just
hold me
the way you hold
a child
who comes
to you crying
hoping to find
love
and loving
while learning
to accept the pain.
Hold me
that I may know
there is still
love
and loving.
THE LITTLE WIDOW
The little widow with her head held high
Determined to be brave and not to cry
But as I embraced her my own tears showed
For I knew in her heart the silent tears flowed
ALLEGHENY HILLS
I really miss the hills of the Allegheny.
The spirits of my ancestors were always there.
Each night I could speak to them of ages past.
Many centuries had passed since they first came,
Leaving behind places where their forefathers had worshiped.
Honored places of ancient heroes and distant family.
They dared all things to make possible a new way
True freedom to own their own lives, a dream of children
A chance to grow their own crops, to be free of oppression.
To leave a place for their children, to know as their own
To worship their own God as they felt was the truth.
There was music in the air that blew through
Singing of joyousness in family love and keeping close.
Part of my soul will always wander in those hills
With me, I have memories that fill me with joy.
Sometimes I can find a special place in the mountains,
Where echoes from my hills ring my ears full of music.
Send my body where you will when I go, but
Let my soul return to these hills for all of eternity.
AUTHOR NOTES
GLASS RAIN—poetry by Margaret Roxby
“THE LITTLE WIDOW” is included this week for National Hug Holiday, June 30. The widow in this poem was a dear poet-friend of the author’s.
REFRACTIONS—a poem by Robert Roxby
“ALLEGHENY HILLS” is included this week for National Hop-A-Park Day, July 1. The poem was found in the author’s poetry journal.
THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—poetry of Kathleen Roxby
“HOLD ME,” is one of a series of poems the author wrote on the subject of depression. It is included this week for National Hug Holiday, June 30.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Readers who write in response to one of the prompts listed each month in Splintered Glass, may see their work presented here on the last week of that month. Though poems are preferred, short prose work will also be considered for publication.
Guidelines for submission:
SPLINTERS FOR JUNE 2023
PINK
Pink has no more heat
Than a single candle
On a birthday cake.
Pink is fragile
As a flower petal.
Hiding
behind a crusty guardian,
Pink is new skin.
Pink is a timid color
And speaks in a voice
Very like a whisper.
THE AWAKENING
It was not sudden
the awakening from famine and fatigue
but rather a slow awareness
that bright faces
(miniature suns with yearning eyes)
peered into the windows
at the darkened room;
their gold glances piercing
laser lances spotlighting whorls
of dust and neglect
I felt familiar shapes
long slumped in repose
in shadowed places
emerge
assuming postures of new design
The desert room
no longer indistinct and gray
alight with the searching beams
began to flower:
dust-devils danced
in prismatic maze
I knew
(the wild surprise of it!)
that I had only to open the door
for they had come to remind me
that I, too, am one of
the golden children of the sun
WE WERE FREE, PART TWO
We were young men from Wheeling–
Mac and Wally and Ted and I–
Thrown together by chance, or fate
When we joined the *CCC.
We had such good times
After we returned home.
We became life-long friends.
Mac and Ted lived alone in town.
Mac’s and Ted’s stepmothers threw them out after
They came in too many times after midnight.
Walter only had his dad who lived in Pittsburgh,
But he was able to stay with an older sister.
All four of us once tried to sell home appliances.
Mac was the only one who ever got really good.
He ended up always selling something.
Ted was the first to get killed in an auto accident.
Unfortunately, Mac ended up an alcoholic.
Lost his wife and children because he never quit.
Walter finally went into his dad’s trade—house painting.
He was phenomenally good at it, too.
He taught me (Bob) enough to earn a living.
Walt ended up in life very lonely. He had no children.
And his heart broke when his wife died.
I managed to get lucky, married an Irish gal
Who straightened me up. Of course, I wasn’t alcoholic.
We lived together fifty-four years, happily.
It has been very lonely since she died but,
I do have some wonderful memories to cheer.
*Civilian Conservation Corps