Springtime in Paris Handmade Card

Paris in Spring by Sara Teasdale
The city's all a-shining
Beneath a fickle sun,
A gay young wind's a-blowing,
The little shower is done.
But the rain-drops still are clinging
And falling one by one --
Oh it's Paris, it's Paris,
And spring-time has begun.

I know the Bois is twinkling
In a sort of hazy sheen,
And down the Champs the gray old arch
Stands cold and still between.
But the walk is flecked with sunlight
Where the great acacias lean,
Oh it's Paris, it's Paris,
And the leaves are growing green.

The sun's gone in, the sparkle's dead,
There falls a dash of rain,
But who would care when such an air
Comes blowing up the Seine?
And still Ninette sits sewing
Beside her window-pane,
When it's Paris, it's Paris,
And spring-time's come again.    

I made this collage-style greeting card to enter in the Michael's Springtime in Paris contest.   Wish me luck!

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.                

Memorial Day - A Poem by Edgar A. Guest

WWI Era Picture Postcard

Memorial Day

A Poem by Edgar A. Guest

From "Collected Verse of Edgar A. Guest"

Copyright 1934

The finest tribute we can pay

Unto our hero dead to-day,

Is not a rose wreath, white and red,

In memory of the blood they shed;

It is to stand beside each mound,

Each couch of consecrated ground,

And pledge ourselves as warriors true

Unto the work they died to do.

Into God's valleys where they lie
At rest, beneath the open sky,

Triumphant now, o'er every foe,

As living tributes let us go.

No wreath of rose or immortelles

Or spoken word or tolling bells

Will do to-day, unless we give

Our pledge that liberty shall live.

Our hearts must be the roses red

We place above our hero dead;

To-day beside their graves we must

Renew allegiance to their trust;

Must bare our heads and humbly say

We hold the Flag as dear as they,

And stand, as once they stood, to die

To keep the Stars and Stripes on high.

The finest tribute we can pay

Unto our hero dead to-day

Is not of speech or roses red,

But living, throbbing hearts instead

That shall renew the pledge they sealed

With death upon the battlefield:

That freedom's flag shall bear no stain

And free men wear no tyrant's chain.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

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Pearl Harbor ~ Did You Know Me Then?

Today is the 70th anniversary of Japan's attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. December 7, 1941 is truly a date which will live in infamy.


I would like to share a poem that was written by John Vierra. He is a Park Ranger/Guide at the Arizona Memorial. He recites this poem each time he takes a group of visitors to the memorial. This poem was written in memory of the 2,402 Americans who were killed during the surprise attack by Japan.

Did You Know Me Then?

I was born in a small town in the mid-west or was it a large city back east?
I can’t remember anymore.
Did you know me then?
I remember getting the chores done so I could go to the Saturday matinee or was it the baseball game.
I can’t remember anymore.
Did you know me then?
I remember the depression of the 1930’s and Papa working so hard to care for the family,
Anyway he could with odd jobs. I especially remember Mama making ends meet.
Papa was stern with the family but, Mama sweet Mama, what an angel she was.
Did you know me then?
I remember the swimming hole that we swam in, the bicycle rides, the picnics.
Did you know me then?
I remember school, Boy, do I remember School. I remember the soda shop and the good times after school.
I remember Mary the girl next door or was it Sue the girl I met at the dance.
I can’t remember anymore.
Did you know me then?
I remember people talking about the war in Europe,
But we’re in America why worry about what’s going on there.
This is America, the land of opportunity. We would never get involved in their problems.
Did you know me then?
I remember my brother Bob and I enlisting in the Navy together.
I remember Mama insisting that we serve on the same ship together, so we could take care of each other.
Did you know us then?
I remember our being assigned to the battleship USS Arizona, she was a beautiful sight to behold.
I remember when we were told we were to be home ported in Pearl Harbor, Honolulu.
Wow! Hula girls, grass skirts, beautiful beaches. Paradise, a dream come true.
Did you know us then?
I remember December 6, we all went to Bloch Arena to watch the battle of the music competition.
The music played by the bands was great.
Did you know us then?
I remember Sunday, December 7, not too much going on, just lying around.
Then that thundering noise that broke the Sunday morning quiet. It sounded like hundreds of aircraft.
I remember the explosion, my breath and whole being taken away from me.
Did you know me then?
I can hear Mama crying, Papa hasn’t cried yet.
I want to tell him “It’s ok to cry , Papa, every tear is a prayer.”
We’ve been home ported here for a very long time.
I can see our buddies aboard other ships saluting as they pass by. I hope they see me returning their salute.
Do they know me?
My buddies and I are really at peace now. Pray for us!
Did you know me?
Then if you knew us, remember us always.
– John Vierra, Park Ranger, USS Arizona Memorial

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.