MATTHEW
The picture above is of my grandson Matthew and myself. The poem "Benny The Bullybeastie" was written for him when he was in grade two. At that time he ran into a few problems at school which prompted me to pursue the issue of bullying.
"Benny The Bullybeastie" was written at the time for teachers to use as a stepping stone to introduce the topic of bullying.. It contains questions and activities to be used throughout the year in the classroom.
This book was self published by Trafford Publishers in Vancouver. http://www.trafford.com
If you wished to purchase a copy it can be done through me for the much more reasonable price of $20.00 a copy. This includes shipping and handling.
Contact me at --- frgadupont@aol.com or leave a message in my mailbox.
Benny the Bullybeastie
Some Of My Poetry
REINCARNATION
Winter faded away
To the dictates of nature,
Reluctantly,
Even with an air of hostility.
The flowers,
Released from their prisons
Break slowly through the earth,
Their sentence ended,
For now.
As the earth warms
From the nearness of the sun,
The sap begins its upward climb
To wet the parched lips
Of the tiny buds,
Soon to open
And envelop the world
In its canopy of greens.
Nothing dies,
It just lies dormant,
Waiting, waiting, waiting
For the right time,
The right conditions
And a personal invitation
To reenter natures cycle.
Bobby Hawley
THE WIND
“What is your name?”
Whispered the wind.
“Why are you here all alone?”
“Are you lost?
Are you waiting
For someone to come
To help you find your way home?
Where are your friends?
Have they all gone away,
Just when you needed them most?
Come. Follow me!
To the top of the bridge
When you jump
I’ll help you to coast.”
The wind led him up
To the highest point
And there he could see far below
The houses, the streams
The broken dreams
And the pain that did not show
“Jump!” said the wind.
“I’ll be right at your side
We’ll glide through the air together
We’ll play in the clouds
And dance in the sun
We’ll be happy and free forever.”
The body was found on the river bed.
The child was dead!
Bobby Hawley
THE ADVENTURE
ARTIST--DIANA KRYSKI
The poem 'The Adventure' was written for my Grandson Matthew. Matthew loves to be active and on the go at all times. He seems to always be in motion. This is likely the reason he excels in all sports that are fast moving such as hockey, track, and basketball. When Matthew was little he would beg to be allowed to stay up late and regardless of the time he fell asleep he would always awaken early asking, "What are we going to do today?" Maybe he did travel to places near and far while we slept. It wouldn't surprise me because with Matthew around big people needed their sleep to keep up with him.
ADVENTURE
There’s a box in my closet
Where treasures are hidden.
There’s a horse in the attic
That’s never been ridden.
There’s a candy tree planted
Just back of the shed.
There’s a car in the basement
Painted bright, shiny red.
Moms never seen them
But, then, neither has Dad,
They don’t even know
All the things I have had.
When the lights all go out
And they tuck in my spread,
You should just see
What’s in under my bed.
There’s a zoo and a circus
Performing their thing
The horse comes from the attic
To ride in the ring.
The fairies that hover
Down back of the shed
Bring candies to munch on
While I sit in my bed.
I sneak to the basement
And get in my car
And travel to places
Both near and far.
I cross roads and bridges
And ferry the rivers
When I get too far north
I start to get shivers.
Just before sun up
When the worlds still asleep
I climb back in my bed
With not even a peep.
I wait for the next night
When the fun starts again
No one ever sees me
Because------------
Big
People
Need Their Sleep.
Bobby Hawley
Our Momma
OUR MOMMA
When bedtime rolled around
We climbed upon the bed
And waited for the fairytales
Our Momma always read.
The stories were exciting
From Anderson and Grimm.
When our eyes would start to close
She’d softly sing a hymn.
Then we’d shut our eyes real tight
And say our little prayer,
“God bless Mommy and Daddy
And children everywhere.”
We’d feel her lips brush our cheeks
And her parting words would be,
“I love you very dearly,
You are my life you see!”
She left us in a darkened room
But inside we felt no fear,
The room was lit by the glow of love,
We knew she was always near.
Bobby Hawley
Conspiracy
My two little granddaughters, Katie and Danielle liked to join forces and come up with a plan to get into mischief. In the end there was always a reason why they did what they did.. All of these incidents were really quite memorable in an amusing fashion. Hence the poem "The Chocolates."
"Daddy gave mommy chocolates. She put them on the shelf"
THE CHOCOLATES
Daddy gave
Mommy chocolates.
She put them
On the shelf.
I got a chair
To climb up there
So I could
Help myself.
I lifted off the lid
As sly as
A little fox.
How many rows
Of chocolates
Do you think
Were in the box?
The chocolates
Sat there sweetly
With a smile
For only me,
Looking so delightful
To a little girl of three.
When I peered
A wee bit closer
I saw that all the rows,
Were the same
In number
As I had little toes.
I ate one row
Of chocolates
Oh my, the taste
Was grand.
I saw the chocolates
In each row
Matched the fingers
On one hand.
I should have quit
Right there and then
But oh they
Were so good.
I shared them with
My little friend
Just like I knew I should.
I gave her two,
I had three
Then I had another.
One dropped
To the floor
And was eaten
By my brother.
All at once
The door flew open,
In stepped my Mother.
She didn’t even see me
She was looking
At the floor
And the little face
Sticking out
From behind
The pantry door.
His face was smeared
With chocolate.
What a smile he had.
He loved the
Box of chocolates
Brought home
By my Dad.
“Oh Mommy
Don’t be mad at me!
I thought that I should try it
To see if they
Were any good
To eat while
On your diet.”
“That’s really
Very kind of you.
How many
Have you eaten?”
Mommy looked
Into the box
“GOOD GRACIOUS ME!!
That’s too much chocolate
For a little girl of three!”
###
Do you know
How many chocolates
Were left in the candy box,
Or
How many were eaten
By that
Sly little fox?
If you get the answer
You’re really very clever
And I will give you
Chocolates
For ever,
And ever,
And ever.
"I got a chair to climb up there/ So I coild help myself."
"I shared them with my little friend/ Just like I knew I should"
"The door flew open/ And in stepped my Mother"
"She didn't even see me/ she was looking at the floor/ And the little face/ Sticking out from behind the pantry door."
"Do you know how many chocolates/ Were left in the candy box/ Or how many were eaten/ By that sly little fox?"
The illustrations that you see above for my three poems were done by Diana Kryski a very talented young artist. Diana is presently enrolled in a masters program at Toronto University. If there is anyone out there trying to find an illustrator Diana just might be your girl. Below is her E-mail address.
The Funeral
When I was a child the village in which I lived did not have any funeral parlors, so all funerals and services were held in the homes of the deceased. The body was embalmed by our local mortician who also owned and worked in the Village General Store. The embalming took place in a little room above the store and the viewing in the parlors of the families.
The parlor, in my memory, was always filled with red roses. I wondered where all these flowers came from since there was no florist for miles around. Maybe they came from the gardens of the villagers, but I doubt this, since I recall them being in the shape of wreaths, adorned with colored banners and bows. Everytime I smell roses I think of a parlor viewing. The perfume of alot of roses, in a small space, can be suffocating.
After the funeral everyone headed to the town community centre for a reception prepared by the Women's Guild. No one had to pay for these refreshments since they were produced out of the good hearts of the local women. Sometimes these offerings were just set out on the dining room table, in the home, so that people could help themselves. The table practically groaned under the weight of this bounty brought in by friends and relatives alike. Drinking and eating went on into the wee hours of the morning while people sat in mourning with the grieving relatives, spinning tales and recalling funny incidents that had occurred between them and the deceased. The more they ate and drank the more jovial they became and the more outlandish the anecdotes.
People came from all over the village and the outlying farms for these funerals. Most families went back for generations They had gone to school together; to church; to the Saturday night dances; dated their first girlfriends; attended their weddings; were there at the birth of the first child; were there for the deaths, the accidents, the painful or heartbreaking moments. It was a social event in which a community was drawn together to lend support to the berieved helping them cope with their loss. That's what funerals are for.
THE FUNERAL
The church bells tolled
The choir sang
Verses from Auld Lang Syne
People smiled at old memories.
Some shed a tear or two.
Some laughed at jokes being told.
“She looks great!” Lied the woman in blue.
The book was signed.
The prayers all said.
The eulogy done by a friend.
“She was old
So what did it matter.
She lived her life so it seems.
She raised her family
And taught at the school
But did she capture her dreams?
We’re better for having known her
For the lessons she taught were fine,
They contained a lot of wisdom
Like the taste of aging wine.”
Said the woman in blue.
We stood in the sombre graveyard
Where the grass was brown and dead.
Under the heavy April skies
Final prayers were said.
Some came for the social gathering
In the old church hall on the hill
To meet old friends and reminisce,
“I hear she was quite ill.”
“We’re better for having known her.”
Said the haggard man in black.
“She brought me love and laughter.
I can’t believe she won’t be back.
“She did so much for everyone!”
The girl in red declared,
“You’d think someone who gave so much
Could surely have been spared.
“The daily lessons she taught us all,
The experiences she shared,
These we’ll never ever forget
For they showed she really cared.”
“In death we are all equal
As we all should be in life.
She was a beautiful person.
Thank God she was my wife.”
Said the man in black
The church bells tolled.
The choir sang
Verses from Auld Lang Syne.
Written By
Bobby Hawley
SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS
My new book "SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS" was published by Baico Publishing on December 1st. The pictures and poems are in this section.
If you wish to purchase a book just contact me at-----
MATT AND THE WONDER OF WISHES
"MATT AND THE WONDER OF WISHES" is a story about the adventures of six children who gained entry into the world of enchantment quite by accident, so it seemed. Nothing in this realm is as it seems so maybe there are no accidents.
Matthew, the oldest of the children was the first to be led into the secret world of the fairies where very few people had gone before him. He had followed a mysterious box down into the forest, back of his home, and he heard someone say,
“This box is filled with wishes that will make your dreams come true.”
This was challenge enough for him to pursue the box. It appeared to be moving with no visible help but Matthew knew this was not likely true. When he reached the glade he was amazed at what he saw there. He had just entered the enchanted world of the fairy people. He was overcome with the beauty and excitement of what he saw in the glade and could not keep his findings to himself.
Saturday morning arrived and Matthew was bursting to reveal his magical encounter to his friends, when they met for their regular meeting, in the attic of his old home.
They found Matthew’s tale of a fairy world hard to swallow. To prove his tale was no fabrication, he took them to the spot in the forest, where he had been the night before. What they saw left them speechless.
Each of his friends and himself were given a wish from Queen Zephania, the fairy queen, and told to be careful what they wished for so their experience would bring them happiness, not something they would regret for a lifetime. She had each of them reach into a magic box and choose their wish, in the form of little, humming balls of energy that cast a pulsing light as they moved about inside their container.
The wishes made and the adventures experienced by these six children are sometimes amusing, satisfying and at times terrifying. Within each adventure there is something to be learned.
We found in Jakes adventure that we must try to look beyond what we see. Something might appear to be harmless, but danger may lurk close to the surface, and is not visible at first glance. Jake wished to be a frog in a pond, so he could experience the freedom of doing as he pleased, without the constant supervision or nagging, as he saw it, from his parents. His adventure didn’t end up so well.
Katie wished to become a fairy and join Queen Zephania in the Fairy Realm. Her reasons initially were very superficial. She wanted the glamour and the pretty baubles. She soon realized that there were other values more satisfying and long lasting. Her story is one every little girl will love. Her adventures were heart warming and amusing. She encountered danger but not through her own making.
Danielle wished to become her own hero so she had to face many challenges and overcome her fears. She demonstrates in her adventures that the color of our skin is not a flaw to be used against us. She shuns the selfishness and neglect of parents towards their children. When evil reared its ugly head she eliminated it. She was not alone on her journey she was accompanied by a sorcerer of some acclaim and a fairy named Scamper. Zhou, the sorcerer, provided Danielle with the support and confidence she required to accomplish these courageous feats. Danielle traveled the Trail of Enchantment from her first entry at fear, to the final stage, which was courage, making a checkmate at her exit. Her story will inspire any young reader.
Ana and Max chose to travel together because there was safety in numbers. They journeyed to
Matthew is the narrator of these tales of adventure by his friends. He was given a wish, just like all the others, but he began to worry about what they might have wished for. He felt guilty since he was the one who found and introduced the them to the fairy domain. Matthew was afraid that the others might have made wishes that could put themselves in harms way. After a great deal of reflection he decided to undo the wishes of his friends. In some cases he was not a minute too soon. When he used his wish, to undo the wishes of the others, his wish transformed into a novice sorceress called Felicity who was about his age. With the help of her powers his friends were returned just in the nick of time. Queen Zephania was overwhelmed with Matthew’s generosity and compassion towards his friends and gave Matthew a lifetime of wishes of which he used only one. Matthew’s one desire was to become a great hockey player, and with Felicity as his agent, there was no chance of losing.
This is a story to be read to or read by all young children.
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
MATT AND THE WONDER OF WISHES
As a child I lived in the whimsical world of enchantment. The “Once upon a time” that leads us into the world of princesses, kings, queens and fairies, where wishes were granted, and dreams came true. Everyone, always, lived happily ever after. As an adult I still throw off my shackles, and enter into these worlds to recapture my youth, and keep alive the child within.
Everyone should have a dream that leads them away from the conflicts and bruises of daily living. We all tend to bask in the warmth of our illusions or daydreams from time to time but know when to come back to the real world, reenergized, and ready for action.
Do you recall the days you sat in class listening to some dull lesson and the warm weather fairies, outside the window, beckoned you to escape the confines of this room, and travel away with them on a cloud of sunshine into fairyland? Here you could let your imagination run free. Anything and everything became possible.
Thinking about all these wishes, dreams and things enchanted brings me to a most unusual happening. I want you to hear about the wishes that were granted to a young boy named Matthew, along with his friends, when they were very young. Their adventures were amazing and the story you are about to read is told as only Matthew can tell it. Some of their escapades are funny, some scary, some are downright terrifying but all are filled with the magic and enchantment of youth and within each of these tales there is something special to be learned.
ILLUSTRATIONS
All illustrations done for-- 'MATT AND THE WONDER OF WISHES' were done by Peggy Roberts a professional illustrator who has worked extensively in the art world for many years.
The cover you see above is done by Peggy and is a great attraction to my book. Below is a picture of the Matthews home, where the children formed a club house in the attic for everyone to meet.
We look down on the house,
That overlooks the glade,
Where wishes were granted
And lives were changed.
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