by Cheryl Lilly
Once Upon a Time
Of fond days of long ago,
My grandpa told us stories,
How interesting was his world.
How wonderful its glories.
Of days between the wild, wild west
And encroaching civilization,
Of things we take for granted,
He lived through their formation,
Some stories were hard to hear
When Grandpa’s life was sad.
Of hardship and great loss
When Gramps was just a lad.
Grandpa’s life is so amazing
‘Once upon a time’ really can be real.
But how you tell the story
Can determine its appeal.
Perhaps through time’s perspective
He came to emphasize a bit here or there
Engaging his listeners’ attention.
He was a storyteller extraordinaire.
Mem’ries of him bring smiles.
How he could tickle a funny bone!
With a sparkle of eye and a crooked grin
He’d relay stories that he had honed.
All of his grandkids can tell a story.
We learned it from ‘you know who.’
What a wonderful gift he gave us;
How to relate life from a positive point of view.
In loving memory of Wayne Lilly, 1916-2005
Our thanks to Cheryl Lilly, who has generously
shared her poetic gift with the Gem of the Sound!
What a wonderful poem. Thank you. We can learn so much from the character of previous generations