The following poems were written by Charles Edwin Myers(1902-1983)who was my 1st cousin twice removed. Charles Edwin was one of 7 children born to Matthew McClelland 'Matz' Myers and wife, Annie (Ramsey) Myers. Many of these were published years ago in a local newspaper in West Plains, Missouri in a section of the paper called Poets' Corner. Charles mailed these to my Grandmother, Bertha (Myers) Altom. She in turn, passed them down to her daughter, Frances - who then passed them along to me....I am so very thankful to have received these and wish to share his writings with others. Hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
Is the cry in the Drifter's heart,
He will suddenly awake with a burning desire
To get right up and start.
He gets his bundle ready-there's no one to say "Good Bye"
When the urge to move on strikes him
He will either go-or die.
Perhaps he has tried to settle Down, but 'Oh Hell,' what's the use?
It's in his blood to ramble, so he's usually on the loose.
"He is just another 'damned' drifter."
Is what most people say.
But he can't help being just what he is,
So, he is forgotten in a day.
Just a piece of human flotsam-
Drifting on the tide of life.
He may be looking for one kind word
That would lift him from his strife.
"What's over the hill? What's around the curve?"
Oh, what an awful curse,
No friends, ho home, no bed, no love,
Nor money in his purse.
Always the sun is brighter,
Yes, brighter just ahead.
It's just that way from day to day,
Until his restless heart is dead.
No stone will mark his resting place,
No flowers will scent the air.
There will just be a mound of fresh turned ground,
And the drifter will be buried there.
Who knows what started him drifting?
Who knows what thoughts he had?
"What's over the hill? What's around the curve?"
Perhaps if we knew his inner thoughts
They may not have been all bad.
Let's hope in the great hereafter
He will find that long sought peace,
And he won't be kicked from pillar to post
And his troubles will have ceased.
By Charles E. Myers
West Plains, MO.
OTHER POEMS:
ADDITIONAL FOOTNOTES: Besides poetry, Charles Myers had special
woodcarving talents.
Click here
to view an article taken from a West Plains newspaper.
Charles Edward Myer's Death and Cemetery Photos