by Elsie Duggan

Member since:
November 8, 2006

One Man's Junk - Saturday Writing Essential,

April 01, 2011 02:32 PM UTC (Updated: April 01, 2011 04:55 PM UTC)

views: 0 | 21 people recommend this | comments: 46

One Saturday morning

Close to Christmas time

Two parents were sad

For they had not a dime

Taking a ride in their dilapidated car

They drove past a trash pile

Mom had a quick glance

Said to Dad, back up half a mile

They got out of their car

Walked up to the trash

Saw the tractor on top

Thought, won' t take much cash

To fix it all up, some paint and some care

So they loaded it in the trunk

Drove home happily

What is treasure to some, is somebody's junk

Washing away dirt and cleaning the tires

Coat of paint was applied , shiny and new

Christmas morning, the boys saw their gift

Cried out , look , Santa came through

Mom and Dad just smiled,with an inner felt glow

For their children were happy enjoying their find

They felt Blessed by good fortune they went on their ride

Someone guided them there, the Lord is kind

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Rules:

Put this challenge statement at the beginning or end of your submission so readers will know what you’re supposed to do.

Challenge: Study the picture and come up with a story about this tractor that is positive. Explain why the family (including kids) is happy that this tractor ended up being thrown away. Alternatively, ignore the original family and explain why some other family is happy to have found it here.

Post to Gather Writing Essential.
Tag your submission with SatWE.
Include (Saturday Writing Essential) as part of your title.

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Find more about: satwe, saturday writing essentials, poetry, life, smiles, writing, journal entry

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21 people recommend this post

Ed Da Head Toker

Priya P.

Diane Huizenga

Lynn P.

lynn a.

Donald M.

Comments: 46

A. F. Stewart Apr 1, 2011, 3:00pm UTC

How sweet.

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:34am UTC

Thanks so much A.F., love ,Elsie

reply to this comment

J. Reid Apr 1, 2011, 3:45pm UTC

Smiles!

___Thank you for sharing with: Not Gathering Dust!

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:35am UTC

Thank you J, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

Bernard C. Apr 1, 2011, 3:48pm UTC

Interesting find and very well written lines as well - thanks for sharing :-)

Thanks for submitting to
The Surreal Circus.

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:36am UTC

Thank you Bernard, drawing from life experiences, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

Len Maxwell Apr 1, 2011, 3:58pm UTC

The Lord is, indeed, kind as he guided your words in this wonderful celebration of family and Christmas.

Thank you for this beautiful take on the SatWE challenge.

I'm starting a special Tractor Wall on The Triple Name Club where I can feature this.

Len Maxwell Apr 2, 2011, 3:32pm UTC

Besides that, it's now Saturday and I can also feature it on Gather Writing Essential.

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:36am UTC

Thank you Len, I so appreciate your comment, and of course the features, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

Kimberly Blackadar Apr 1, 2011, 4:01pm UTC

Your poem is a real treasure, Elsie.

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:37am UTC

Thank you Kimberly, written from memories and experience, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

Cristina S. Apr 1, 2011, 4:04pm UTC

Wonderful way of recycling - and a sweet poem about it. I can really relate to this, as I did similar things for many years... with no money but some elbow grease and creativity...

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:38am UTC

Cristina, this was written from experience and memories, I am sure many have done this type of things in their life, makes the gift all that more wonderful, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

Holly K. Apr 1, 2011, 4:23pm UTC

This was so great!

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:39am UTC

Thank you so much Holly, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

JOHN BECK Apr 1, 2011, 6:30pm UTC

Nice, Elsie.

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:40am UTC

Thank you John, written from experience in my childhood and my children tough times then, love, Elsie

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Brenda Youngerman Apr 1, 2011, 7:15pm UTC

What a great poem!

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:40am UTC

Thank you so much Brenda, love, Elsie

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dee b. Apr 1, 2011, 8:08pm UTC

Wonderful and heartwarming at the same time!

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:40am UTC

Thank you Dee, love, Elsie

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Angela A. Apr 1, 2011, 8:55pm UTC

That was ever so lovely!

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Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:41am UTC

Thank you Angela, love, Elsie

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Larry H. Apr 1, 2011, 9:46pm UTC

Happy poem thanks for sharing

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:43am UTC

Thank you so much Larry for reading, love, Elsie

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William Dotani Apr 2, 2011, 1:08am UTC

Verse like a storyboard unfolding painted soulful warmness with each step. This is lovely and heart warming.

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:43am UTC

Thank you William, written from experience and memories, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

Ann Marcaida Apr 2, 2011, 12:09pm UTC

This is the moving of the responses I've read to that prompt. Thanks for sharing with Gather's Best Writers and Artists. Now featured.

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:44am UTC

Thank you so much Ann, and thank you for the feature, very appreciated, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

Donald M. Apr 2, 2011, 4:05pm UTC

You never know what you may find in a junkyard. This woman had a great mind and gave a great gift to her children. You never know what you can use things to do.
This was a great write.

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:44am UTC

Thank you Norma, written from experience and memories, do you recall those days too, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

lynn a. Apr 2, 2011, 5:50pm UTC

So sweet. It would make a perfect Christmas story. Have you thought about writing more about before the parents finding this truck? Even after Christmas morning, a scene with the boys playing with the truck and through a kitchen window even the parents watching knowing they'll get on their feet again. Just an example. Something I thought right here on the spot, but you know what I mean. How would you tell the rest of the story, before and/or after? You know me. I love Christmas and I love Christmas stories.

The new photos of Seth and Mama and Daddy are just wonderful.

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:46am UTC

Thank you Lynn, no never think of expanding anything. Sometimes I go too far in the original piece and have to take out stanzas ,I am windy in my writing at times, love, and glad you like the pictures, love , Elsie

reply to this comment

Lynn P. Apr 3, 2011, 12:08pm UTC

We weren't poor in the traditional sense growing up, but my brother and I need corrective shoes - at $50 a pop (back in the early 60s) - and we were kids, so our job was to keep growing. Plus we both had allergies all over the place, so we need shots and lots of amoxicilan, since inevitably the infections went to our ears, causing us to need tubes in our ears every other year.... So, we weren't poor by traditional means, it's just that we cost more than most kids cost. With that, we received repainted toys, second-hand bikes, and things of that sort. But our parents always fixed them up to make them better than new, and we were the envy of the block.

This poem took me back to those good times. Thanks for the memories. ;)

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:48am UTC

Lynn, this poem was written from memories and experience, both in my child hood and those of my Children, at times things were tough, but we got through it,, Those were good times weren't they, love, Elsie

Lynn P. Apr 4, 2011, 10:29am UTC

I have no memories why I needed corrective shoes, how my parents even knew we had allergies, or half of the tubes in the ears moments. (I only remember the feeling when the doctors pulled them out. It was loud, more than it hurt - if it hurt. lol) I barely remember how upset Mom got when I'd come in after running through the lawn in my bare-feet. (I wasn't supposed to. Somehow that was connected to my grass allergies, but you remember running through summer grass in bare-feet. What child wouldn't? lol) Most of my memories of childhood are the good ones, like this - "new toy." I even remember seeing Dad's silver spray-on paint that made bicycles look shiny new.) We were never given the impression money was tight. We were given the joys of childhood instead. Good deal!

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Diane Huizenga Apr 3, 2011, 5:53pm UTC

That is just wonderful

Elsie Duggan Apr 4, 2011, 1:48am UTC

Thank you Diane, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

Priya P. Apr 5, 2011, 2:54am UTC

Ahh Elsie, this was so sweet. Loved it.

Elsie Duggan Apr 10, 2011, 12:22am UTC

Thank you Priya, love, Elsie

reply to this comment

Ed Da Head Toker Apr 7, 2011, 10:55pm UTC

koool

Elsie Duggan Apr 10, 2011, 12:22am UTC

Thank you Ed, so glad to be seeing you again, love, Elsie

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Renita P. May 19, 2011, 9:55pm UTC

This comment is to let you know that your content has reached 50 views and has been removed from "Let’s Get To Know Each Other." Thanks for posting.

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