POETRY: Bradford resident Donald Neal also shared this piece with us, and we are happy we can play a part in restoring his faith on occasion. We in the newsroom credit him with restoring ours as well.

And as animal lovers, we enjoy reading about Cali.

Just an Old Man

I have written many many poems,

Most of them were written in verse,

Some of them were not very good,

Others were even worse.

I am not a perfect person,

I have made many mistakes in my time.

I guess that is what you call being human,

Trying to find ways to make words rhyme.

When one cannot afford TV or the internet,

Surviving on Social Security.

Being old and all alone,

No future you can see,

For me I have a little puppy dog,

That became the subject for my poetry.

She also brought happiness into my home,

So a better future I could see.

I will go on writing and enjoying my little girl,

And watch the world pass me by.

America, veterans, and those little pets,

Writing about these subjects makes time fly.

An old man who has become useless,

Who writes instead of being bored.

And when the newspaper prints one of his poems,

His faith in mankind has been restored.

———

TODAY: Today is National Carbonara Day, if you’re looking for a dinner idea, and National Caramel Popcorn Day as well.

Finally, today is National Bookmobile Day. While bookmobiles are less prevalent in today’s society than in days past, it’s still worth remembering the days when the library hit the road to try to reach more avid readers. It might be fun to visit a little free library today, if you know of a local one.

Even if you don’t, it’s worth picking up a new book or reading an old favorite to the kids in honor of the bookmobile.