Once Again! The Lost Poetry Corner

Listed a bunch of "Unknown and Lost Poets" this weekend. I really mean UNKNOWN!!! - Googled the names of both books and authors, separate and together with quotes, without quotes and most didn't even register.

They used a vanity press and did not know how to market themselves. The copies I got are all like new 'review copies' that were sent to Dion O'Donnol because he did promote poets and poetry through various means. Newsletters, clubs etc... - All published in 1980.

Even so, after 28 years of no promotions, being manufactured prior to the Internet explosion these names are virtually unknown. So if I expect to sell the books I better promote them. - To quote Ralph Kramden, 'And Away We Go'.

The following Lost Poem comes from "Poetry to Remember" by Sara Webb Keaton - Publisher: Dorrance and Company - 1980 (First Edition, not stated) - All I could find other than the copy I have listed at my book store is three copies stuck in the bowels of Higher Education Libraries. (Saw them through WorldCat)

A bunch of different subjects are poeticized in this book but I'm a slow typist and am only going to give you one. This is one I liked.

Margin of Profit

"I'll trade my dog for your wagon,"
Said Tommy to big Biff Lane.
"And I'll throw in my football too
And also my watch and chain."

"I'll trade." said Biff, "I like your dog.
Come! Flash, old boy, now you're mine."
Little Tommy smiled, he had a new ball,
and the watch didn't keep good time.

"Flash had always come back,"
Tommy mused as he happily rolled away.
"Gee! this was great, it was real fun,
He couldn't help it if Flash wouldn't stay."

He had traded before for this thing and that
And always came out ahead.
He was getting tired, it was time to go home,
But he must wait on Flash instead.

Morning came and still no dog.
Biff Lane must have him on a leash.
Now Flash was no longer his,
This had gone far beyond his wish.

With tear stained eyes he traded back
And paid extra a 'bit of cash'.
But never again did he speculate
Or trade off his good dog Flash.

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From a Tuned Harp by Winifred R. Myers'(near) Lost Poetry Corner

I found a couple other copies of this book online so it is not quite "Lost Poetry" but it is close. - At this point in time there is a copy on eBay for .99¢ but the shipping is where the seller makes up for the low price. Looks like a clean copy though... A couple others can be found through BookFinder.com

Anyway - Here is some of the lowdown on the book:
Title: From a Tuned Harp -
Author: Myers, Winifred R. -
Publisher: Wagon and Star Press - Dion O'Donnol - W. Los Angeles, CA - Copyright: 1951 - 44 pages (no index) - 31 poems total -

To the best of my knowledge this is a single printing item. Unless the print on demand folks get hold of it and jack the price of a NEW COPY up to a kazillion dollars... (When buying books online do some research!!! Know what you want and why. Is it for reading, collecting or a gift copy. The difference between collectible and readers copy can be big bucks but so is resale value...- Email the seller! Don't be shy to ask questions or to ask for pictures.)

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And follows a couple sample poems. I will say, of the poems I read I liked these two best so use your own judgment if you want this volume on your bookshelf...

Oven Altar

If by some recipe, I'd bake
A perfectly heavenly sort of cake,
I'd never feel
That I could kneel
And offer it to God!
God dispenses-mortals take-
They should give gratitude, not cake!

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and
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Retreat

A tiny terraced garden on a lovely, lonely hill-
Below a river singing,
Above a bird awinging, Beyond, a bell, sweet, ringing;
Peace, my heart be still.

I hear the sleepy birds give their last twilight trill-
Here purple dusk comes clinging,
A sweet perfume bringing,
O'er all a frail moon swinging;
Rest, my heart, lie still!

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Lost Poetry Corner - Land of the Lakes by Alice Bowerson Grinnell

Came across a poetry book, Land of the Lakes by Alice Bowerson Grinnell, and could find no reference to it through Google. - Lost poetry - to which I dedicate this corner of my blog.

In her book was this poem that I thought apropos for today:

Wake Up America

Wake up America, to the crisis of today.
Hold aloft the torch of peace to a world that's lost its way.
How can justice be so blind that cruel wars can reign,
That tyrants terrorize mankind for power and greedy gain?
We who are so strong and free must lend a helping hand
To end destruction o'er the sea, that freedom's cause may stand.

Wake up America; be patriots one and all.
Marching on in unison, we shall never fall.
Search for traitors everywhere they may chance to be;
Keep Old Glory in the air to boast our liberty.
Shut for joy around the world, until the mountains quake;
Be alert America; wake up for freedom's sake.

Wake up America, build armoured ships and planes.
May our youth be clean and strong; may valor never wane.
Aggressors we shall never be within a foreign land,
But if invaders cross the sea we'll fight for Uncle Sam.
Wake up, America, that you may ever stay
The hallowed shrine of liberty the whole world knows today.

Land of the Lakes by Alice Bowerson Grinnell - Exposition Press, New York, N.Y. 1941 -

The last page of the book has a closing letter from Alice dated Dec 6, 1940 -
One year and one day later Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese (7th December 1941).
One year and two days later the U.S. declared war on Japan (8th December 1941).
Italy and Germany then declared war against the U.S (Dec 11, 1941).


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