Alda McCoy Honig’s Poetry

 

            Alda had poems published in several books.  One was The Spring Anthology 1944, A Compilation of Representative Verse from the World’s Living Poets, published in London by The Mitre Press.  Poems included are “Lines to Our Silver Wedding Anniversary” (Dedicated to her husband, George H. Honig); “Golden Chimes” (Dedicated to the Igleheart Chimes, Trinity M.E. Church, Evansville, Indiana; “To A Night-Blooming Cereus”; “Amelia Earhart”; “To My Mother on Mothers’ Day, 1941”; and “April Came Into My Heart”.

            Horizon House, of New York, published two of her poems in an anniversary edition of The Muse of 1945.  Those poems honored are “April Came Into My Heart” and “Ernie Pyle”.

 

Ernie Pyle

 

Little, But Mighty,

Brave, Ever-daring,

Fearful, Yet Faithful,

All The While-

Facing The Fight With

G. I. Joe Year

After Year,

Going Far-afield,

From ‘That Girl’,

So Dear,

To Send Back A Message

Each day, of Good Cheer-

Yes, That was Ernie Pyle.

Hurdling All Hardships,

Our Hoosier Humorist, with

Facile pen,

Brot Ever A Smile,

Into The Hearts Of

Our Fighting Men

And Those Waiting At Home--

Yes, That Was Ernie Pyle.

 

 

April Came Into My Heart

 

April came into my heart to-day

With all her blithesome, springtime air;

She gleefully bade me walk with her

By the river and thru the wood

To bask in her charms so rare.

 

She led me thru vales of violets

Purple, and fresh with the morning dew;

She bade me look up to the trees above.

Where, quickened by a Father’s love.

Green, baby tendrils were budding anew.

 

I walked in ecstasy whither she led,

Her beauties thrilling me more and more!

I listened to a robin’s rapturous call —

It was April in my heart for evermore.

 

 

To My Mother on Mothers’ Day, 1941

 

How I loved to watch the fire-light

Play upon my mother’s eyes

As she sat before the open grate in winter’s evening time.

Vari-coloured lights and shadows

Shone from out those azure depths.

Unforgettable those eyes, which held a light divine.

 

They were lighted with a spirit

Always gentle, calm, serene,

And her sweetness and her goodness

Radiated from each beam,

That seemed to bless us all the while

The fire-light played upon her eyes —

Her husband, children, family group —

That formed her paradise.

 

Oh, little mother, your wonderful eyes

Have ever led me on and on

Thru grey days, gay days,

Days of sorrow and of song.

The light that shone from those clear depths

Has been a beacon bright and true,

Inspiring me in all I’ve done,

In all I ever hope to do.

 

 

 

Golden Chimes

(Dedicated to the Igleheart Chimes, Trinity M.E. Church, Evansville, Indiana)

 

Golden Chimes, I hear you pealing,

Thru the early morning hours,

While the sun o'er earth is stealing.

While the dewdrops kiss the flowers.

 

Then again your chimes at mid-day,

When the sun is high above,

Send forth purest tones of gladness,

Ringing out in notes of love.

 

And at eve, once more your carols,

With the sun low in the West,

Bring a blessed benediction,

Bring us joy, and peace, and rest.

 

 

 

To A Night-Blooming Cereus

 

Queen of the night — the Cereus!

With petals so waxen and pure,

Emitting exquisite perfume

Of sweet, mysterious allure.

 

What a precious memory,

Gazing into your heart,

Where every delicate tracery

Is woven with great art.

 

The little Star of Bethlehem,

The cradle of the King,

Whose praises thru the ages

We shall never cease to sing.

 

Why should a thing so beautiful

Endure but for a night?

Such gorgeous blossoms are indeed

A most inspiring sight.

 

But the beauty of things perishes;

Not so a memory,

Which lingers with us and endures

Forever and for aye.

 

 

 

Amelia Earhart

 

Up she sailed into the blue,

Our heroine so brave and true,

Upon that summer’s day.

We gloried in her daring flight,

Her wondrous courage and her might,

As she gaily flew away.

 

Down she was forced into the blue,

The sea had claimed its toll, ’tis true —

A dreadful price to pay!

Her tousled head, her boyish form,

Her fascinating smile are gone,

But her spirit, it shall live alway!

 

 

Lines to Our Silver Wedding Anniversary

(Dedicated to my husband, George H. Honig)

 

Together we’ve travelled these many years

(Twenty-five short years did you say?)

Thru clouds and thru sunshine we have come

To our Silver Anniversary Day.

 

Together the clouds have ever held

A wondrous lining of silvery hue,

And the sunshine held ever a brighter ray,

Because of the sweet things you’d do.

 

Together we’ll journey on again,

Come weel, come woe, come rain, come shine

And may our Golden Anniversary Day

Still find you mine and find me thine.