LONG LIVE THE QUEEN Olive Ruth Mae Hall Campbell January 19, 1919 - August 27, 2006 She died on a Sunday The 27th of August So now ashes to ashes And dust to dust My Grandmother Ruth We loved her so A matriarch of sorts It was her time to go She had chocolate milk in the fridge And popsicles in the freezer Butter tarts on the countertop And Grandpa loved to tease her I know how to put cups away --upside down This is something I learned From having her around On her table always Were cucumbers in vinegar And often she would curse "Well, what the Hell fur?" And no one had better mess With her game of solitaire Fearing for our lives No one would dare The mother of our fathers The Queen of her throne When finally at peace She is not alone Grandma returns to Grandpa After nearly eleven years And also to her daughters So many joyful tears Bonnie, Susan and Helen They have their mother now This is what I believe For it's my only way how Leaving behind eight sons And grandchildren galore For there's too many to count And after that there's even more Brothers, sisters and in-laws Her nephews and her nieces Of her great family puzzle We all are the pieces To our Grandma Campbell The Queen of our Clan We bid you farewell As you leave for a new land Looking so very beautiful As God takes your hand I hope you'll enjoy yourself Wherever you'll be And here we'll be shouting "Long Live The Queen!!!" Written by Shawna Lee Campbell August 27th, 2006 Read by Krista Lynn Marie August 31st, 2006

the flowery rain...

walking down the road
with flowers in my hair
humming familiar songs
forgetting life's unfair

running from a past
I'd sooner like to forget
flashing pictures of him
still live in my head

I try to block them out
still the stabbing pains
makes everything much harder
now here comes the rain

the lightning crackles
a sunbolt through the sky
I am getting soaked
my humming songs have died

the thundering song
echoes through the world
soaked through to the bone
my hairs no longer curled

the flowers in my hair
have all washed away
all of my hopes
in total disarray

the raindrops from the sky
have become the tears
I cant cry for myself
ever through all these years

I've lived a life of torture
refusing to leave me behind
something good's out there somewhere
it's yet for me to find

his broken liquor bottle
lays before me somehow
I didn't see the glass
my feet are bleeding now

it's been a long journey
a longer one's ahead
I wonder if I'll make it
Or if I'll get there dead

I picked fresh new flowers
braided them through my hair
I started humming songs
forgetting that life's unfair

For My Grandma

Elma Elizabeth Irwin

February 2, 1915 - January 28, 2000

For My Grandma
Who was loved very much
With such a warm heart
Everyone she touched

Always warm and jolly
She had a tender way
So in our hearts forever
My Grandma will always stay

She'd greet you with a "howdy"
Her funny way of saying "hi"
She will always be remembered
So she will never really die

Although I'm sure shes happy now
Where we will see her again one day
I know she will miss us
As we do for her today

So Grandma if you're listening
Which I'm sure that you are
We love you very much
You're our bright and shining star

Cornflake Man

With his box of cornflakes
at his head
he sleeps in a broken-down bus shelter
unshaven*unloved
he is alone
a tub filled with ratty hairbrushes and toothbrushes
rests by his side
this bus shelter is surely his home
he starts to waken
then realizes
'I don't have to go to work today'
so he resides back
into his slumber

Driving pain
Eating into your heart
Another loved one
Taken away
Heaven, Hell, or somewhere in between

About a boy...

When we met
I fell for you
When I got up
You were gone
Getting up
Was far more painful
Than falling