Writers' Corner

If you have a poem, song lyrics or a short story and you would like to share it with the readers of The Statesman now is your chance.

Email or mail us your submission and look for it in an upcoming issue of The Statesman.

Dear Jesus,

How are you? I'm fine. Tell our Father I really enjoyed the sunrise this morning. He really knows how to paint a sky. Thanks for washing away my many sins. I want your help finding a job. Oh well, I have a friend I want you to look after. Can you help me try to stop my smoking habit? Well, can you find it in your heart to forgive me of my sins again and help me to do better?
Thanks,
I love you Lord.
You know who.
by Katrina Edwards
WHEN LOVE LIVED HERE
Rising out of the brambles surrounding it
the old house stands with an air
of quiet dignity.
With wind whispering and sighing
through cracks in the vine-covered walls,
and crumbling brick chimneys above,
fireplaces with traces of ashes.
Through the ravages of age
and creeping time
it's melting into oblivion
carrying with it the elegance
of another place in time.
After the first wild flurry
of startled birds escaping
through broken windows
it's quiet.
And in the quiet you can hear
the whisper of memories
stored up through the years
when love lived here.
by Dorothy Miller Birdwell
MAMA LOVED COWS

When I was growing up, my parents and I lived out in the country. My dad had a shop in town and stayed very busy, and I was in school, which left Mama to take care of everything at home, including some milk cows and chickens.

Mama loved her cows, named them, petted them, milked them so she could sell milk and butter. The churning was always my job, but had to be done to have butter for our use and some to sell. She sold eggs too, to bring in a little spending money.

There was no school bus by our place, so I rode into town with Dad to attend school. One day when we got home from school and work, Mama was not getting around as spryly as usual. She told us that she went to the back of the pasture that morning to check on the fence. Her little dog "Lady" went right along as usual.

Before they reached the fence there was a cow from the adjoining pasture, a mean looking cow with long horns. The cow took one look at Lady and charged at her. Of course Lady ran right to Mama. Mama quickly decided she'd better run for our barn, and it was uphill all the way!

So she, Lady and the cow all started for the barn. Mama had never run so fast in her life! When she reached the cow pen, she climbed the fence and just fell over on the ground. The cow lost interest and walked away. Mama just lay there on the ground a long time with Lady giving her a loving lick every once in a while.

Yes, Mama loved cows, but not that particular one!

by B. Jones