The Poetry of Eva Steven
The Rose
When they lay me down to rest
Place a rose upon my breast
Other flowers do not give
They are needed for those that live
Do not place them on my grave
It's flowers in life, for which I crave
The flowers I plant around my door
Are the ones I am eager for
Flowers in death do not give me
I want the ones that I can see
I want to plant and watch them grow
And arrange them in the garden so
To watch the little buds unfold
Bringing color and joy untold
It's just the flowers around my door
But there the ones that I adore
Common flowers to some you say
But I love to see them day by day
So when you lay me down to rest
Just place a rose upon my breast.
Eva Steven
June 16, 1931
The clock is slowly ticking
The clock is slowly ticking
As it rests upon the shelf
And I am just here thinking
Of all the war and strife
The day is bright and sunny
And makes me full of cheer
But I am counting out my money
And my heart is filled with fear
For the taxes and the war debt
Keep me going in the air
An after March 31, 1942 I bet
I'll have nothing to spare
So be happy Mrs. Steven
And live from day to day
And keep all accounts as even
As you can along the way
Mrs. Steven
January 23, 1942
TO MY CHILDREN
When you're down in the mouth
And feeling sad and blue
Remember I am near
And shall always pray for you
When old friends forsake you
And you don't know what to do
Remember I am near
And shall always pray for you
When trials and tribulations
To you are nothing new
Remember I am near
And shall always pray for you
Mother 8-27, 1929
JANUARY 11, 1930
Children five and a husband dear
We have started on another year
May God keep us from day to day
In his kind and loving way
May we live, our family to love
Like our Heavenly Father, up above
May he guide us, through the year
And keep us from all harm and fear
Mrs. Steven
When days are dark and dreary
And you're feeling rather blue
Speak a word that's kind and cheery
To a friend who's dreary too
It will help you in your labor
As you do your daily task
And maybe help your neighbor
Forget some deed that's past
Your days on earth are numbered
So do it while you can
Help today a friend that's stranded
Help today your God and man
Tomorrow, oh tomorrow
May be a day to late
So help some friends in sorrow
And turn not love to hate
Mrs. Steven
AUGUST 17th, 1927
Dorothy is my eldest child
A lovely girl, my joy my pride
Her hair is fair, her eyes are blue
And may she ever be, kind and true
Helen came the next in line
With golden hair and eyes that shine
A place in my heart she came to fill
Be loving and kind, I know you will
Robert is my only boy
So he too, is my pride and joy
His eyes are blue, his hair is brown
May he come forth with honor crown
Virginia is a twin to Bob
A place in my heart for her doth throb
Brown hair, blue eyes, a skin so fair
May honesty follow her everywhere
Loraine is my baby dear
With eyes of blue, that know no fear
With cheeks so rosy and curly hair
May she always be a lady fair
Last of all my husband dear
Brings to all the family cheer
Your love for all is big, like mine
God's precious jewels, they are thine
A SPRING REMINDER
Out there in my garden
There bloom some tiny flowers
I see them from my window
As I dream away the hours
It's cold outside my doorway
And the snow is on the ground
But the tiny little snowdrops
Are blooming all around
They send forth their ray of sunshine
While all else is gloom
So I love those tiny petals
As they burst forth, into bloom
As I watch for them each spring
To raise their heads so high
I am reminded of the tenderness
Of God above, the bright blue sky
How can I doubt his presence
It's reflected in the flower
It shines forth with the sun
During every golden hour
The trees shout forth his coming
So early in the spring
And the birds and bees and tulips
His glorious presence bring
He who doubts the blessed Lord
Reigns not, in heaven above
Must needs to study nature
It reveals the Saviors Love
April 1943
CHRISTMAS EVE 1949
Where are those happy Christmas days
That were always such a delight
Where is the beautiful tree
We always trimmed that night
Where are the happy children
That played upon the floor
Waiting for old Santa Claus
To come in by the door
In homes of their own, my darling
Those children are tonight
Doing the things we used to do
After they retired at night
There are toys for Donnie
And toys for little Jim
To be put beneath the Christmas tree
After the lights are dim
Another tree is shining
In a corner at the Snooks
They are probably watching
To see how nice it looks
Of course there are the Stevens
As happy as we used to be
Putting toys for little Diane
Neath her Christmas tree
The Mortimer's are busy too
Sorting out each toy
For Vonda Mae and little Joyce
And Steven, the only boy
The Propers also have a tree
Trimmed with tinsel bright
So that, my love, is what
Those happy children are doing tonight
Our happy days are over
Theirs are just begun
We sit here by ourselves tonight
And remember every one
Those were happy days, my darling
Happy for you and me
For we made our children happy
When they beheld their tree
We love all those memories
We cherish every one
Tonight we are happy too
Our joys will keep us young
December 25, 1949
ANOTHER YEAR
Another year has started
As we journey on through life
How can we find happiness
With all this war and strife
The last year has been a hard one
When we look back on it now
But though our girls are married
We'll be happy here somehow
Our son has joined the Navy
To sail the ocean blue
But war has dimmed the beauty
And turned it to crimson hue
While we no longer have these children
To brighten up the family home
We still have little Frenchy
So we are not so much alone
God, bless the day she came to us
A baby, oh so small
She seemed just like a fairy
Bringing joy and happiness to all
But dad, we can be happy
As we start this year anew
That no matter what it brings us
It can't beat nineteen hundred forty-two
We started it amid a war
After the bombing by the Japs
And we had to give our children
To keep U.S. on the map
But may this year be better
Is my earnest hope and prayer
That all our boys return
Safe, from fighting over there
God grant that we may live
A little better every day
Until that time when sadness
Will bring gladness here to stay
So as we start another year
Amid turmoil and the strife
God grant that it will end
By bringing all a peaceful life
Mother Jan. 15th, 1943
Dear friends and neighbors large and small
I leave you now at Gods own call
My stay on earth to me was sweet
But I leave you now, my Lord to meet
If I have been a friend to you
I did no more than I should do
If you have been a friend to me
Then you have made sad hours flee
I leave you now for a better home
In God's green pastures free to roam
I tried to live my life on earth
As God would have me, from my birth
Many a times from the path I strayed
But faith in God my soul hath saved
My days were numbered one and all
I leave you now, My Lord doth call
Mrs. Steven
AWAKENING THOUGHTS
The sun up in the sky
Is shinning just so bright
And the stars up in the heaven
Are as beautiful at night
The grass is just as green
Around our cottage door
And the lilacs in the yard
Smell as sweetly as before
The apple tree is blooming
And the blossoms are as sweet
The birds are just as noisy
As they chatter, sing and tweet
The pretty little jonquils
Are just as bright a yellow
And the ground beneath my feet
Is just as soft and mellow
The tulips are just as stately
In my little tulip bed
Their colors are so pretty
The yellow, pink, and red
The violets and the iris
The Dutchman's breeches too
And the mass of wild sweet Williams
Reflect the heavens blue
The honeysuckles nodding
Their fragile little heads
While the lilies and the phlox
Lie dormant in their beds
The cardinals are singing
As they flit among the trees
The butterflies are flying
And there is the buzzing of the bees
The rain is just as gentle
As it gently drops from on high
And the clouds get just as dark
When there's a storm coming nigh
All nature seems to tell us
That spring is here to stay
That life should be as happy
As the brightness of the day
But with all the works of beauty
Before us all the day
We go about our daily tasks
In a lonely sort of way
We know there is something missing
Around our little home
We cannot help but miss you
As around the world you roam
But as each spring brings the flowers
The sunshine and the rain
So our hopes are brightened
By thoughts of seeing you again
If it weren't for the springtime
The summer and the fall
There would be no joy of living
If wintertime were all
So I will take a tip from nature
And do my very best
And trust in God my Savior
For he doeth all the rest
TO KATE
Your days may not be merry
When you think of that empty chair
But rejoice dear ones, be cherry
For she is at peace over there
Though the heart within is stilled
And her body lies neath the sod
The soul that was really your loved one
Has gone back to be with her God
Let not your hearts be troubled
Make merry your every day
For the one you loved so dearly
Is not gone, she is just away
December 25, 1949
On the death of Grandma Williams