I recently shared a poem written by my 2nd great grandfather, Washington Marion Crawford. While discussing this poem with my cousins, one shared a comment about his having a copy of Josie’s ledger of poetry. This comment reminded me that I have the actual ledger. In remembering this ledger, I realized that I hadn’t done enough to share with future generations.
When the Internet was young, I did transcribe some of these poems and contributed them to the Kansas Memory project. However, I did not submit all of the poems. Evidently, I also had never scanned the ledger. I have since scanned the ledger and created a document with the scanned image on the left and the transcription on the right. This PDF file has been uploaded as a memory to Josie Hammond’s profile on FamilySearch. I’ve also uploaded Josie’s Ledger to Archive.org. Thus, I’m hoping that her ledger will be preserved well into the future.
Armistice Day
How our thoughts turn face
To that day in years now gone
When our boys were fighng grim,
In the desolate Argonne.
Long and wary had the days been
In that slow but sure advance.
As they drove the Germans Backward
From the balefields of France.
But a whisper passed among them
“We are going to have peace.”
They have set the zero hour
When the firing shall cease.
Then the order came “Cease firing,”
Brining quietness so blest,
To the troops who held the front line.
As so sorely needed rest
An in the old French villages
How they laugh and sing and pray
In one place a group of soldiers
Rang the church bell all that day
We rejoiced when it was over.
May war never rage again.
Help us, Lord, to solve our problems
Without the sacrifice of men.
