FAMILY BIBLE

The Family Bible

The family Bible lay on the kitchen table
Eyes now growing dim he read when able.
The dog lay on the floor next to his feet
Overhauls he wore, old yet clean and neat.
Mister said he, there ain't much to see around here
I call it home, folk come and go seen a lot this year.
Been here all my life, with Betsy she's my wife
Farming's all I know guess you can say It's my life.
My dad and me, well we built this old run down place
A few crops every now and then and we said Grace.
In winter it gets pretty cold the wind wiping round
That's when mostly we get that old Bible down.
Read it a few times alone when I was by myself
Lord's been good to Betsy and me, ain't nothing left.
Mr. I been here on the farm eighty years or more
Betsy and me got married down at the grocery store.
This old Bible held us together that's a fact
When I came to doubt, that old Bible brought me back.
Times got lean back in twenty-three
Had three kids my Betsy and me.
That Bible has many years of age.
I ain't found nothing but good on any page.
Pages now turned yellow, and marks from a pen
When in doubt that Bible gave me peace within.
Yellow pages, the spine badly bent
I looked for inspiration and, time with God I've spent.
Someday all trials and errors will be no more
Mr. I got a home in glory land, what you got in store?

© Author Clyde A. McClellen, Jr.
Jan, 22 1997