EDGAR A. GUEST

J. G. Braddock Sr.

When I was a kid many years ago, the local newspaper ran an Edgar A. Guest poem in every day's issue. As I was too young then to appreciate poetry, I only recall the oft repeated line from one of them: "It takes a heap o' livin' in a house t' make it home" I recently stumbled on a web site containing many of his poems and immediately became addicted to his works. I found them to be so inspiring that I was inspired to write the accompanying poem as tribute to him. Following some of the poem's stanzas are links to some of his works. In addition to the two excellent web sites to which these links take you, books of some of his works can be found in Google at the following links:

OVER HERE

JUST FOLKS

POEMS OF PATRIOTISM

ALL THAT MATTERS

JUST GLAD THINGS

It’s hard to read a poem by Edgar A. Guest
And stop after reading only one,
For you gradually learn you’re reading the best,
And before you know it all his works you’ve done.

The over eleven thousand works of rhyme
He set on paper with pen and ink
Have survived the literary tests of time
Because they have a way of making you stop and think.

He wrote of the many necessary ingredients
Of the kind of character that ever stands
Firm before trials and tribulations intense
And never surrenders to temptations demands.

He Who Serves   Can't   Compensation   Sermons We See
Follow a Famous Father   The Loss is Not So Great   Ideals   
At the Door   The Alarm   A Man   Life's Slackers   Myself   
Peace   It Couldn't Be Done   Proof of Worth   Answering Him   
The Temple   The Weaver   Things Work Out   Be a Friend   
The Things That Haven't Been Done   Myself   The Finer Thought  
See it Through   Selfishness   Home and the Office    

A recurring theme of his is the kind of love
That is spawned in only home and family,
The kind that is mankind’s only hope of
A successful and lasting society.

Home   Thanksgiving   Only a Dad   The Little Home   
When Day is Done   A New Baby In the House   No Children  

Many are the lines of patriotic verse he spent,
Each of them unashamedly a boast or brag,
In making it unmistakably evident
He fervently loved America and its flag.

The Wrist Watch Man   No Better Land Than This   A Creed   
Forefathers Day   Show the Flag   A Patriotic Creed   
A Patriotic Wish   Memorial Day   He's Taken Out His Papers

He versified deep thoughts of heavenly things:
The Maker of the universe and all therein;
A Son sent as Lord of lords and King of kings;
The shedding of blood to atone for mankind’s sin.

Grace at Evening   If This Were All   A Father's Prayer   Silent   
Reflection   When Sorrow Comes  A Christmas Carol   Faith 
On Certain Religious Arguments   

There flowed endlessly from his fertile mind,
In everyday, ordinary people style,
Thoughts on countless other themes cleverly designed
To make the reader reflect or laugh or smile.

If You Would Please Me   Out Fishin   What Makes a Soldier Grest
A Toast to Men   Raisen Pie   Move We Adjourn   The Homely Man  
Good Books   Kick Under the Table   Father

O that every generation would read
Edgar A. Guest’s inspiring poetry
And to the wisdom of their truths wisely give heed,
How different and better this world would be,
                                                ©2010 J. G. Braddock Sr.

For other poems by 
J. G. Braddock Sr.
Click Here: By Inspiration Only

jbraddock1@woodenshipsironmen.com