Rose+Whipp+Northup+poems

=** Utter Tragedy **=

By Kegan Saajasto I walk in the door to see my mother in tears, We gather in the courthouse square to mourn. Such injustice, such a brutal assassination One sick man, bellows with glee, Shortly to be threatened, and chased away. The funeral train leaves, Bloomington, the last stop Mourners are everywhere, most travel to Springfield One hundred thousand people gather for the funeral. I am blessed, a beautiful family, beautiful children, I have it all. Yet tragedy inevitably strikes again, My eldest, Fred passes in a tragic accidental shotgun wound, He was yet to be //twenty// years old. Life reluctantly advances, My beloved husband was next, He passed peacefully three years after his retirement. And sure enough, it was my time soon. Was my life fulfilled? I am happy to be resting beside Charles and Fred.

= Rose’s Memories =

By Rosie Phipps

As I received flowers every year from an admirer, I would reminisce in my childhood memories with dear Mr. Lincoln.

I guess you could say that I am famous among the locals, For a while I was the only person left that personally knew Abraham Lincoln. I was featured every year in The Daily Pantagraph, telling my stories.

As a child I lived on the same block as the Lincolns. I would go to work with my father at the Illinois State House, And play with Tad Lincoln. We ran through the halls and had all sorts of fun.

But seeing Mr. Lincoln was the favorite part of my day. I would try to creep by his office but he always caught me. I would sit on his lap and watch him work, He would stroke my blonde hair and called me “Silverhair.”

When I heard from my mother that he had been assassinated, It broke my heart. I loved Abe as a father all my life, I waited 78 years to see him again, When my tired soul was finally taken.

=**My Friend**=

By Wivine Ngongo

My friend once gave me special powers. I used to be invincible, There was nothing I couldn’t do.

I could climb the highest mountain, And beat a wild cheetah in a race. I once flew over the entire world… and saw my father from the distance.

Of course, I had the help of my friend. If it weren’t for him, I’d be powerless. Oh how I loved my friend, as you can imagine.

My friend once read me a tall tale. As he read, tears of joy and sadness filled my eyes. This world we shared would soon be no longer…but only for the better.

One dreadful morning, this country lost their president. That same morning I lost my powers, but that was the least of my concerns. I lost my friend, good ol’ Abe, and it wasn’t fair.

=Silverhair=

By David Cooper

He called me Silverhair, I was his favorite little girl. All day I’d play with his son Tad Then sneak into his office. To have a chance to see him, And everyday he’d call to me, To sit upon his lap. While others knew him formally, He was only Abe to me. He was so kind and yet so strong. But now he’s gone. Time has passed and I have grown, But I never will forget him. I always will remember that He called me Silverhair.

=**Rose Whipp Northup**=

by: Paige Blankenship

Nowadays I am old and gray One of few that can still recall Still remember Mr. Lincoln

I knew him as a child Running through my father’s workplace Pausing at Mr. Lincoln’s office door Waiting for him to call me in Call to me, his silverhair And let me bounce upon his knee

Years passed and we went our separate ways To Washington Mr. Lincoln did go But I held tight to my memories Of his kindness and his smile

Then one day I came home And found my mother crying She told me Mr. Lincoln was dead And grief did then consume me The whole town gathered in the square The entire nation was in mourning

I remember Mr. Lincoln Like so many do and will To me he was not just the president To me he was a friend Someone I knew personally A kind, strong man that I will forever recall A man that I will always see Through the eyes of a little girl

Silverhair By: Brie Lohr

I have come to know a lifetime of pain. God gives everyone their own cross to bear. But still, I wish they would not have been placed upon me. It is not easy to deal with the death of someone you love, But I have had to do it more than once.

Abraham Lincoln worked with my father before He became President of the United States. But he Was never the president to me, he was just Mr. Lincoln. He would always let me sit on his lap, run through his office, And he would call me Silverhair. But those days were brief. He was Not just taken from me, he was taken from the nation that loved him by An assassin’s bullet.

When I had to bury my son, he was just nineteen. He too was Killded by a bullet. Even thoughit was just an accident, it does not give me comfort or numb the pain.

Sadness and death have been a part of my life, But so has happiness and love. I was given the Gift that Mr. Lincoln and my son were not: the Number of years. I lived my life for them.