My Friend, John Summers

 

My Friend, John Summers

© by Bud Lemire on Oct 25, 2023

I knew you way back, at Washington School long ago

You were a classmate, one that I came to know

I knew you as John Kossow, but you went by Summers too

Sometimes I never knew, what name to call you

By any of those names, you were a friend to me

After school we'd get together, we were kids naturally

Sometimes we'd play marbles, sometimes we'd just talk

Other times we would meet up with others, or go for a walk

Your sister Barbara, was a classmate too

She was someone, that I also knew

In later years, I found you kitty corner from the school we went to

I'd stop and visit awhile, I enjoyed the times reminiscing with you

We talked about the present, we talked about the past

We talked about friends we knew, but these times didn't last

John had his share of health problems, he described them to me

You couldn't tell by looking at him, at least I couldn't see

I looked forward to my fish on Fridays, and visits with this friend

Like all good things in life, it came to an end

I wondered why, I hadn't seen him in his yard anymore

Sometime later, I found out, he had walked through “The Door”

“The Door” to the other side, his body became spirit

I know he'll be happy there, although I was sad to hear it

It's not easy to say goodbye to a friend. It's not easy to say

goodbye to anyone. I'd like to think of it as “Thanks for crossing

into my path and being my friend for a time.” I know it's not goodbye.

I'll be seeing you again, when my time comes.

Halloween 2023

 

Halloween 2023

© by Bud Lemire on October 2023

Tess was busy, placing the R. I. P. casket in the activity room

When beyond her notice, in came flying a witch on a broom

Now she knew, she didn't have a witch that looked like that

The ugly face didn't look familiar, but she recognized the hat

A voice boomed out, from the witch flying in the air

“I've come to tell you people, you must beware”

“This year Halloween, will be stranger than the rest”

“You must be prepared, and do your very best”

Tess really didn't know, what the witch was talking about

The witch figured that, and so she started to shout

A black cat, was walking on the ceiling above her head

The witch said “you'll have a visit from the dead”

It happened so fast, they were phantoms of the past

Residents who had lived here, were gathered here at last

“We've come to join the party, we missed not being around”

Then all at once, came this loud swishing sound

A great pumpkin, wearing a terrifying smiley face

Came flying into the room, taking up a lot of space

Smoke that stunk was coming from it, too much to even see

The witch handed Tess a wand, “Use this to set yourself free”

Tess never used a wand, so she just waved it around

The giant pumpkin crashed, and made a horrible sound

The wand disappeared, and she looked around the room

There next to the skeleton, was that witches broom

Tess wondered if she imagined it. Maybe she was working

too hard. Then out of the corner of her eye, she thought

she saw one of the skeletons move. It actually waved at

her. She smiled and thought, “no, I just set them up like

that.”

Cathy Plank

 

Cathy Plank

© by Bud Lemire on Sept 2023

She came to tend a garden, with every kind of flower

With a water hose, she gave each of them a shower

She was an artist, saw the beauty in each one

Appreciated it better, when each grew in the sun

Her flowers were her children, she cared for them each day

She'd feel so very bad, if one of them withered away

She preferred all, to be in bloom

Dying flowers to her, just brought gloom

Cathy was a sweetheart, with her laughter and her smile

I'd stop to talk with her, sometimes quite awhile

She'd come out of her back door, happy to show me around

There were tons of her flowers, everywhere, all over the ground

I'd take a picture of each, and show her what I took

She'd say “wow,” and was happy she had a look

She didn't like her picture taken, but I took one of her one day

She was watering her flowers, and I snapped one anyway

I kept missing her, as I hadn't seen her out at all this year

I found out she passed, and I was very sad to hear

I went by her Flower Garden, for some final pictures to show

A butterfly landed on a flower, and here's something I do know

Cathy came by, to check on all her flowers

Without any water, she was hoping for some showers

She didn't stay long, just long enough to say

“Thanks for coming by Bud, you'll see me again some day”

Cathy Plank was a wonderful soul. She loved her flowers,

and her love for them, got me taking pictures of them. I'd try

to take a picture in each position and with good lighting.

Her laughter was so wonderful to hear. She'd come out of

her back door and be ready to show me all the flowers that

were coming up recently. I never thought of me as a flower

person, but now, I see beauty in all things. Thank you Cathy,

for the beautiful flowers you tended, for me to share in pictures

with everyone on Facebook.

Major Utilities

 

Major Utilities

© by Bud Lemire on Oct 18, 2023

I loved music, starting when I was little boy

It was the one thing, that always brought me joy

There was this place, that sold 5 45's for one buck

I thought at the time, I really had the best luck

It wasn't far from home, so I really didn't need a ride

Upstairs of B.F. Goodrich, open the door on the side

Maybe you heard of Major Utilities, the place where I would go

45's just out of the Jukebox, it was like listening to the radio

The Flaths ran it, two sons and their boss was their Dad

One son wore glasses, and he didn't seem too bad

He was the one who waited on me, whenever I came by

I'd enter, look over the records, and he would always say hi

I'd walk home happily, and I'd listen to each song

I was so excited with that deal, nothing could go wrong

Nothing ever did go wrong, with each 45 I bought

Memories of those times, are always in my thoughts

I'd see one of the sons at Elmer's, he listened to music a lot

He showed me his MP3 Player, and all the songs he's got

All three of them have passed, but I shall recall each in memory

The music from the Jukebox, and what it all meant to me

Herb, and his two sons Warren and Harold. Warren was the one

with the glasses, who waited on me, and Harold was the one I'd see

riding his bike, and at Elmer's with the MP3 Player. Because of their

great deals with the 45's, I was able to explore music at that time.

Whenever I had money, I'd be there, and was so happy when

I found music I liked. Major Utilities & the Flaths, thank you

for the music!

Denise Sayklly, A Friend To All

 

Denise Sayklly, A Friend To All

© by Bud Lemire on Oct 19, 2023

I first met her as Moonbeam on the C.B. Radio

She'd pick me up in her car, and away we'd go

Chinese Fire Drills down Ludington Street

These memories of those times, can't be beat

She was the voice on WBDN, and at the U.P. State Fair

She loved all her animals at home, when I use to go there

I'd see her by the Water Plant, with her Granddaughter fishing there

I took pictures of them, it was a Facebook moment I could share

She was in quite an accident, and some friends had passed away

Denise lived through it, and got through it every day

She was the one who told me, my pictures should be enjoyed by all

So I joined the “Escanaba” group page, it turned out to be my call

We find her working at the Island Resort casino, in later years

When I think of this dear friend, only smiles, never tears

She truly was a friend to us all, and loved people dearly

If you were a friend of hers, then you understand clearly

She bought some Chocolates, I was selling for Senior Companions a few years ago

It was one of the last times I saw her, she was always a friend I was happy to know

But we kept in touch on Facebook, and I know she'll always be

A special friend I'll always remember, because she was good to me

Denise aka Moonbeam, as I knew her to begin with, was a wonderful woman, with a good heart. When you were her friend, you knew it. She loved people, and people loved her. For me it was the Chinese Fire Drills after meeting her on the CB. Once back then, we got out and ran around the car and got in the wrong places. I found myself in the drivers seat and was worried. She saw that and asked what I was worried about, I told her “I didn't know how to drive.” She laughed. She loved animals and I recall her having some ducks one time. She was on the Coffee Can on WBDN AM 600 with Bruce Nelson. I didn't know she was on WDBC as well. In later years, she worked at the Island Resort Casino. The Escanaba page I mentioned on Facebook was one I use to be in (“You're Probably From Escanaba If...”). I have since started my own page. To end this, I just want to say, with a heart like hers and a beautiful soul, she's going to really enjoy The Spirit World (aka Heaven). Thank you Denise!