SHORT STORIES AND POEMS
Please click on the links below to read the story.
Jeffery’s Wedding Day
Black Sounds in the Night
Snowman In May
Jeffery’s Wedding Day
Four year old Jeffery walked nervously down the church aisle. His cousin Marie, all decked out in a pink lace dress, walked a few feet in front of him dropping red rose petals. Jeffery unsteadily held a small blue satin pillow with two rings on it; one for his mother and one for his new father, Frank.
Frank was standing at the altar smiling at him. Many more eyes in the church also looked at Jeffery. He was a little bit scared. He stopped walking and slowly looked around. He saw lots of strange faces. Then his eyes met his grandmother’s. She was sitting in the front row smiling only for him, only at him. She motioned with her hand, like she always did when she wanted him closer. Jeffery kept his eyes fixed on her as he continued down the aisle. It seemed like a long time before he finally reached the front of the church. He stood beside Frank, who nodded approvingly.
The maid of honour and best man followed. Jeffery's mind was busy thinking. “I guess the maid will clean our house now. And the man must be the best man Frank could find.”
Looking back up the aisle he saw his mother. She looked so beautiful dressed in a white satin dress and a hat to match. She walked slowly down the aisle. Her arm was holding on to grandpa's arm. “I guess she’s a little scared too,” he thought.
Jeffery’s eyes started to mist over and he almost cried. He remembered his daddy was with the angels in heaven now, but today he was getting a new daddy on earth. “If Mommy is happy, so am I,” mumbled Jeffery to himself.
As his mom and Frank joined hands, his grandpa sat beside his grandmother.
It wasn’t long before the pastor asked for the rings. He walked forward and his mom and new dad put the rings on each other’s fingers. Frank patted his head again and said “Good job.” Jeffery felt very proud.
Soon the wedding ceremony was over and his parents kissed. His new father picked him up and kissed his cheek. The people in the church clapped and shouted.
The three of them walked happily down the church aisle and out the front doors. They could now start a new life together as a family.
Voices – Fall – 2008 by Doreen Millichamp
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Black Sounds in the Night
Her screams could be heard in the clear of the night,
While the full moon shone like a neon light.
A horned gray owl let out a loud screech,
As the eerie sound carried over dark swampy creeks.
The big black monster had given her call.
Look out … or many heads will fall.
She rumbled, she roared as she sped on by.
Her next great appointment was just on nigh.
Into the red station she stopped as she hissed,
While people said goodbye with a lingering kiss.
With a huff and a puff of black billowing smoke,
She pulled out of the station as the coal fire awoke.
Her loud whistle shrilled in the dark of the night.
It wasn’t long before a deer took fright.
Time would not stand still for this monster of old,
As she crossed the plains in the dead of the cold.
Onward, forever she screeched as she rolled.
Picking up passengers until time untold.
Voices – Summer – 2007 by Doreen Millichamp
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Snowman in May
Every school morning Neva’s little red radio alarm clock always buzzed to wake her up. Then the radio would come on. On this May morning the announcer talked about the weather. As Neva slowly rolled over to turn the radio off, she heard him announcing all schools in Winnipeg were closed because of the sudden and unexpected snowstorm last night. Opening her eyes wider and cueing her ears to what he was saying, she heard him complaining about the one foot of wet snow that was causing havoc with the traffic and buses, and that many businesses and schools would be closed today.
Neva quickly jumped out of bed and ran to the window. Her green eyes opened wider as she saw all the soft white snow blanketing the back yard and the budding trees weighed down with heavy wet snow. It was a winter wonderland again. Winter wasn’t going without one last show of defiance. Neva couldn’t wait to go outside and make the last snowman of the year.
Hastily dressing, she ran downstairs stammering to her mother, “School’s closed, I’m going outside to make a snowman”.
Her mother, already aware of the school closures smiled saying, “I’ll call you when breakfast is ready.”
Neva quickly put on her warm winter clothes. Running out the back door she shouted to her mother, “Get the camera ready mom. It’s not every day we get snow in May.”
It was easy going at first because the snow was slightly wet. This kind of snow made the best snowman. She started by making a snowball packed real hard and then rolling it around the deep snow in the back yard until she couldn’t push it any more. She patted the sides to form a nice big snowball for the bottom section. Then she made another snowball and rolled it around like she did the first one. But this time she made it smaller. Rolling it to the first section, Neva could barely lift it up onto the first larger snowball. Now she carefully plugged in the holes and packed the two snowballs together. Next she trudged through the last of the thick snow to the garage and found her yellow funny face beach ball and placed it on top to finish the snowman with it’s face towards the house. She packed the sides so it wouldn’t roll off.
Mom opened the back door with the camera in her hand and quickly took a memorable picture.
Jovially Neva went in for breakfast, knowing that for the next day or so the snowman would be smiling at her whenever she looked out the kitchen window.
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