The Poems of Ruth C. Hawkins

A Golden Thread
The Golden Thread of our friendship
Spun with laughter and tears
The myriad of memories
shared throughout the years
The wonderful gift of faith
that you and I have known
The love and understanding
that come from God alone
For all of these blessings
  I am grateful
With the words I cannot express
The joy of being your friend
with eternal thankfulness.

Blessings on Your Day
A little Child is here to bless you on
  your day
He plucked a bouquet of stars while he
   was on his way
Each little star for your delight
  he chose with all his love.
And filled it with laughter and happiness
  and the joys that come from above.

The Angels are his playmates, Yet he
  is their King.
For you His sweetest song He commands
  them to sing.
I bid you listen to this canticle, this
  story of love sublime
Your heart shall be filled with happiness
   and a Holy Love that transcends all time.

Lilt of Joy
The laughter of children
What beautiful sounds
Like tinkling bells
Chiming all around
Fleeting moments of Joy
That we can recall
Like golden sunbeams
Dancing on a wall
Their bright and happy faces
Will often come to mind
And our tiny sunbeams
Will continue to shine.

Simplicity
In simplicity there is beauty
An elegance of design
Portraying an image more truly
As it exists in the Artist's mind

To depict in a graphic likeness
the perfections that one perceives
is to show in a simple preciseness
the picture as innately seen

Charm
Good manners
With inherent grace
A quality of dignity
and a happy face

Good grooming
With posture tall
A knowledge of etiquette
And feelings for all

Conversing with others
and listening too
With eyes that say
I'm interested in you

Having a funny bone
in times of stress
Looking at the bright side
because its best

Does not judge
his neighbors' acts
Is aware of  a difference
between opinion and facts

Is loving and giving
and happy to be
in a world of beauty
with much to see.

Easter Girl
There she is in Ribbons
  and lace.
A little girl with a
  beautiful face
Waiting there in her
  grand array
Aspiring to be in the
  Easter Parade
Whispering behind her
  were two little boys
And I smiled as I heard
  one say
Just to walk beside her
   Would make this a happy day

Personality
An eye with a twinkle
The tilt of a brow
Or tiny laugh wrinkles
that occur with a smile
A voice filled with music
A movement with grace
Or the inherent beauty
of a happy face.

We Two
The donkey and I, alike to a tee
Have wills like steel when we do
  not agree.
Standing firm on our convictions
  we will not budge
And cannot be moved by a gentle nudge.
"Heaven and earth shall pass away"
But there we are and there to stay.
Yet, when slowly creeps the dawn
  and lo, we see,
Thereafter, would you believe it
  We are as nice as we can be.

Christmas Story
The beauty of the Christmas story
  lies deep within our hearts
Tis a day of gladness and of joy
  A day that we set apart
To lay away our sorrows and trials
 and with a love sincere
Welcome again the blessed Child
  To home we are so dear.

God's gift to us; a tiny babe
 To cherish and to hold
A child that would someday repay
 The debt of all men's souls
So let us lift our hearts in prayer
 With all the love we can bestow
That we may all his blessings share
  As God has willed it so.

A Word of  Cheer
Drop a word of cheer and kindness,
    Just a flash, and it is gone;
But there's half a hundred ripples
    Circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort
    On each, splashing, dashing wave,
Till you wouldn't believe the volume
    Of the one kind word you gave.

Drop a word of cheer and kindness,
    In a minute you forget;
But there's gladness still a'swelling,
    And there's joy a-circling yet.
And you've rolled a wave of comfort
    Whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water,
    Just by dropping one kind word.

Welcome to Spring
There's a family of Robins in our yard
Some building their nests, some standing
  guard.
Tis good to hear their songs once more
as they herald the Spring, opening its
  door.

A Bookshop
A delightful place
  to "peruse" the world
Where exciting moments
 suddenly unfurl.
With all at your fingertips
 you can "travel afar"
And seemingly the universe
 is your own front yard.
A Bookshop is a special place
 for all you wish to find
But whatsoever else it is
 tis an extraordinary place
To stop and change your mind.

To a Minute
Ah little minute
Where did you go?
Had I but thought
Not to use you so
God had His purpose
but alas, you have gone
into eternity;
The great beyond.

What Difference Does it Make?
If you know you are being faithful
    To the vision you have in view,
If you're sure you are holding steadfast,
    There's nothing else you can do,
And that firm and true conviction,
    Will take out the hurt and ache
From your heart when folks misjudge you---
    What difference does it make?

There are various minds and problems
    So think of your fellow man
As living true to his vision
    And doing the best he can.
Then hold to your goal undaunted,
    Keep ever alert and awake,
Nor mind what the world is saying,
    What difference does it make?

If people don't like your methods
    And criticize all you do,
So long as you know you're trying,
    You're best---what matter to you?
Stick to your sincere convictions.
    Be loyal for Truth's own sake,
And even though some condemn you
    What difference does it make?

Reflections
Elijah found God in the whisper of a
  gentle breeze.
And if we search, we too shall perceive
  his love,
In the light of a baby's eyes or,
In the beauty of a dew drop on a rose.
We shall find him as we awake to the
  dawn of a new day, wherein
The music of our hearts shall carry
  us through to its close,
And enfold us in the shadows of the
  night.
These reflections of love will ever
keep us aware of his presence and
the knowledge that we also may find
God in the whisper of a gentle breeze,
The glistening of the sun on a raindrop
or in the captivating beauty of a rainbow.

Solitude
As we perceive her charm
delicate beauty, resplendent grace
we shall run with outstretched arms
to the warmth of her embrace
She will lead us to untold wonders
to the heart of the universe
Teach us to love and to understand
the children of sorrow, the children
  of mirth
Then to joys eternal, she will
  gladly show us the way
The end of all our yearning, the
  vision of God, Unending Day.

Sister Rita
Kind and Loving
  Warmhearted and true
Sings like an angel
  Looks like one too
Her Special Mission,
  Directing our Choir
A host of young voices
  She hopes to inspire
As she waves her hands
  Recalling inflections
Her goal, of course
  Absolute perfection
And when she hears the
  church bells chime
You can hear her whisper
  Please God - more time.

Day By Day
Let me be a little kinder
    Let me be a little blinder,
To the faults of those about me;
    Let me praise a little more.
Let me be when I am weary
    Just a little bit more cheery,
Let me serve a little better
    Those that I am striving for

Let me be a little braver
    When temptation bids me waver,
Let me strive a little harder
    To be all that I should be.
Let me be a little meeker
    With a brother that is weaker,
Let me think more of my neighbor,
    And a little less of me.

Let me be a little sweeter
    Making my life a bit completer,
By doing what I should do
    Every minute of the day.
Let me toil without complaining,
By doing what I should do
    Every minute of the day.
Let me toil without complaining
    Not a humble task disdaining,
Let me face the summons calmly
    When death beckons me away.

Keep Sweet
Suppose a world of trouble do
    Annoy you day by day;
Suppose that friends considered true
    Your trust in them betray;
And rocks may bruise and thorns may tear
    Your warn and weary feet,
And every day you meet a snare---
        KEEP SWEET
Suppose you have not each desire
    That forms within your mind;
And earth denies you half your hire,
    And heaven seems unkind;
And you have not the best to wear,
    Nor yet the best to eat;
What though you have the meanest fare?
        KEEP SWEET
A bitter heart will make things worse
    And harder still to bear;
A merry heart destroys the curse
    And makes the heavens fair.
So I advise whate'er your cause,
    Whatever you may meet-Dwell on the good-
Forget the base---KEEP SWEET.