Writing rhymes began in 1945, my senior year at Nebraska University. The students were preparing a stage production to celebrate the end of World War II. I was asked to write a song and sing it. I did it and my joy in writing rhymes began.
I don’t think I ever sat down just for the purpose of writing a rhyme. There was always a motive like birthdays or special events. The cover of my first book and this one really sums it up-People, Places, Passion, Purpose. It wasn’t very long that I learned my rhymes were best when inspired by God. The readers and time tell the most about a book. A priest that I know called to tell me that he read The Parish Shepherd, the first thing each morning. A second priest said he used the poem TWO PLANS when he spoke to a group of ladies.
In this book More Rhyme and Reason, the poems came from the same kind of inspirations. One of the best I have written is first in this book, The Politician. Some poems are happy rhymes, for birthdays or anniversaries. Some are of places traveled. I like to write rhymes that teach and hopefully there will be fulfillment. If a poet inspired me in my student days it was Longfellow. I have always strived to achieve a message with perfect rhyme and meter. If any reader of my writing is entertained and gratified, I have achieved my goal.
