A FOREST OF PO-E-TREES
by
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THE PO-E-TREE Rhymes are the petals of flowers As pretty as you'll ever see, They grow on the branches and bowers Of a plant called 'The Po-e-tree'. There have been many gard'ners a'working, In the place where the 'Po-e-tree' grows, They've nurtured the idea seedlings, That grow to be poems and prose. The 'GREAT ONES' have been a Longfellow, And one I recall was a Guest, Another was Wordsworth, an Allen, And, by Poe, I know we've been blessed. Today we have many beginners, Who start at the bottom, the Tombs, I'll introduce you to this one, His name is Leo S. Coombs. Please, LAUGH at the fruits of his labor, ' Twill give him a little delight, He grows his poem-flowers for neighbors, And often works late in the night. His poems are mostly quite simple, He tries hard to please the small child, But sometimes he can't quite control them, INDEED ! They may even grow WILD. As you read, if you find an enjoyment, In these works at which he doth plod, Rejoice with the writer in singing, And giving the praises to GOD. THE TALE OF A FROG Down at the pond, On a green Lily pad, Sat a little green frog, Who was feeling quite sad. He was sad 'cause his voice, Was so coarse and so deep, That all he could sing, Was, 'Ree Deep, Ree Dee Deep'. Then a tear started forming, And ran from his eye, As he watched the birds flying, 'Way up in the sky. And the tears from his eyes, Slowly ran down his nose, And dripped to the lily pad, Under his toes. Soon an old Snapping Turtle, Slowly rose to the top, Of the water near Froggie, And there he did stop. He looked at the frog, And said, 'Why do you cry ?' 'Because I can't sing, And because I can't fly '. Well, the old Snapping Turtle, Gave a grunt and a groan, And sank in the water, Leaving Froggie alone. Then a Blue bird came flying, And landed near him, And sat singing gaily, On an Oak tree's low limb. But, the sound of his singing, Was stilled when he heard, The crying of Froggie, Who wished he were a bird. Then he said, 'Little Frogqie', 'Your tears wipe away, For really it is, Such a beautiful day'. You say you can't sing, And can't fly like a bird ? But Froggie, you are, The best bass that we've heard.' 'I can't jump like a frog, And can't swim like a fish, But, to have you sing with us, Is what we all wish.' 'Now Froggie start singing, And all through the forest, All the creatures will join you, In singing the chorus.' So Froggie began, In a voice very deep, And was joined by the little bird, Singing, 'Peep Peep'. Then the crickets joined in, With a gay chirping song, And soon all the creatures, Were singing along. And the sound of their singing, So merry and gay, Caused GOD in His Heaven, To look down and say, 'My creatures are happy, It thrills my old heart, For each one's a STAR, When he's doing his part.'
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About the Author
Ha-Ha, Ha-Ha. The author does have a philosophy of laughing at himself first, last and loudest. His working experience is almost unbelievably broad, starting with hiring out to tend flower gardens and working up through the various phases of farming including driving a three-horse team and a variety of tractors and other equipment. He peddled fruit and vegetables as well as newspapers and magazines from door to door and peddled Danish Bakery Goods from a Shetland pony drawn bakery wagon. During WWII, he tried to enlist but was turned down for health reasons and went to work for Remington Arms. Then he moved to Berkeley, California, went to work for Henry J. Kaiser Shipyards and got married. This must have sparked the interest of the Selective Service System since they immediately ordered a re-examination and very soon thereafter changed his classification to 1-A. Upon notice of this, Leo sent them notice of when he would be in Salt Lake City ready for induction and within one month he was "In the Service now." He served 2 years 7 months and one day, of which 1 year, 1 month and 28 days he was overseas in Merrie Oulde England. His job there was preparing the bombs and ammunition and leading the B-17’s for their missions. The 398th Bomb Group (H) received a number of decorations including 6 Battle Stars. After the war, he was discharged honorably and returned to Utah to try to make a living competing with the flood of veterans all in the same struggle. He tried working as a farmhand for a while, and then got a job as a semi-truck driver and agent for a small truckline running between Salt Lake City and Fillmore, Utah. Like all jobs at that time, this one didn’t last either so it was back to farming. Then he started a one-man crew for the graveyard shift in a small roadside truck stop café. After a while, a better-paying job came along as a farmhand with a heavy emphasis as a cowboy which could not be refused. He was then persuaded to move to Mesa, Arizona, and went into construction work, as a welder primarily, but doing anything necessary. He assisted in constructing and erecting many steel buildings in Arizona and some in California. In 1957, he joined the Mesa Fire Department and served there until November 1968 when he was appointed to be the new Justice of the Peace in the new East Mesa Justice Precinct. He served there until January 1, 1975. In January, 1975, he went to Lincoln, California, on an unsuccessful gold mining operation, and upon arriving at home discovered he had cataracts and, consequently, had both eyes operated on in 1976. Upon recovery, he returned to working in the construction field. In December, 1978, he was divorced by his wife Ruby, but he still pursued trying to make the marriage work and continued to do so until Easter, 1982. In April, 1980, he was appointed as City Magistrate of Apache Junction, Arizona. On July 2, 1982, he married Rosemary Montgomery in his courtroom in Apache Junction. She had served as the Financial Officer for the City. In May, 1984, they took early retirement and moved to Ohio due to illness in the family. In 1985, they moved to Florida and, in 1986, they moved back to Arizona and Arivaca. In Arivaca ,they purchased a shell house on five acres way out in the boondocks and finished the house themselves. Now, for age and health reasons, they live in a manufactured home community in Green Valley, Arizona, and are quite happy there.