THE OLD GRIST MILL

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=215 BGCOLOR="#999999" TEXT="#080000" background="0440eb82ermwup.jpg"> <bR> <bR> <div> "ALONE"</div> <div>  <embed src="HTMLobj-512/alone.mid" autostart="false" width="145" height="70">  </div> <div> sound control</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="food for thought 3 homepage"><B>BACK TO HOME 3</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="guestbook.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GUESTBOOK"><B>VISIT GUESTBOOK</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="memories.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MEMORIES"><B>BACK TO MEMORIES</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="memories.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MEMORIES"><B>SELECTION PAGE</B></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=95 style=" border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;" BGCOLOR="#999999" TEXT="#080000" background="043b85f1ermwup.jpg"> <bR> <div> <B>FOOD FOR THOUGHT MEMORIES</B></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 width="100%" colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>THE OLD GRIST MILL</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Painting By William E. Hardison</div> <bR> <div> "THE OLD GRIST MILL"</div> <bR> <div> Ah, there it is...upon the hill,</div> <div> beneath that row of pines;</div> <div> the last remains of grandpa's mill,</div> <div> a relic from early times.</div> <div> ****</div> <div> See, below the boulders there,</div> <div> within that small ravine,</div> <div> the old turn wheel of yesteryear</div> <div> lies weathered in the stream.</div> <div> ****</div> <div> Now, as I view this quaint old place,</div> <div> a cloak of calm prevails;</div> <div> remindin' me of joys embraced</div> <div> with all the pleasant tales.</div> <div> ****</div> <div> My memory eye drifts there inside,</div> <div> back when the grind wheel turned;</div> <div> where corn meal from the hull was pried</div> <div> when on the grind stone churned.</div> <div> ****</div> <div> And I recall from long ago</div> <div> when I was only ten;</div> <div> grandpa hitchin' up to tow</div> <div> with mule and wagon bin.</div> <div> ****</div> <div> There across the doorway sill..</div> <div> in and out he'd dart;</div> <div> totin' sacks of ground corn meal</div> <div> and stackin' on the cart.</div> <div> ****</div> <div> And when he got the cart all full,</div> <div> he'd climb up there on top;</div> <div> and yank the reigns on that old mule</div> <div> to go to his first stop.</div> <div> ****</div> <div> Perhaps to some quaint market shop</div> <div> or to a baker's store;</div> <div> to sell the meal by my grandpop..</div> <div> to feed the rich and poor.</div> <div> ****</div> <div> So there he goes beyond the hill,</div> <div> my inner eye can view;</div> <div> pleasant thoughts that linger still</div> <div> of times that I once knew.</div> <div> ****</div> <div> To some, here lies a total mess,</div> <div> to me, a spot supreme;</div> <div> of what was once the very best,</div> <div> still makes my heart serene!</div> <div> ****</div> <div> William E. Hardison copyrights / recorded</div> <div> *********</div> <div>   <div align="center"> <div style="padding:0px; border:1px solid #999999; width:235px; margin: 0px;background-color:#F2F4FA;"> <form action="http://pub2.bravenet.com/elist/add.php" method="post" style="margin:0px;"> <div style="background-color:#DBE0F5;padding:3px;font:12px arial;color:black;"><b>Join the Mailing List</b></div> <div style="margin:10px; font: 11px arial; color: black; text-align:right;"> <div style="margin-bottom:5px;">Enter your name and email address below:</div> Name: <input type="text" name="ename" size="25" maxlength="60" /><br> Email: <input type="text" name="emailaddress" size="25" maxlength="100" /><br> <input type="radio" name="action" value="join" checked style="border: 0px;"/>Subscribe  <input type="radio" name="action" value="leave" style="border: 0px;" />Unsubscribe  <input type="hidden" name="usernum" style="border: 0px solid black; height: 0px; width: 0px;" value="126720699" /><input type="hidden" name="cpv" style="border: 0px solid black; height: 0px; width: 0px;" value="1" /> <input type="submit" name="submit" value="GO" /></div> <div align="center" style="margin-bottom:5px;"><a title="Free Mailing Lists from Bravenet.com" href="http://www.bravenet.com"><img src="http://assets.bravenet.com/cp/bn-elist.gif" alt="Free Mailing Lists from Bravenet.com" border="0"></a></div></form> </div></div>   </div> <div> <A HREF="old_railroad_bill.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="OLD RAILROAD BILL"><B>NEXT POEM</B></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>