BessPoems

The following lovely poems were written by:
             Bessie May (Tate) MacKeen
                   1889-19April, 1963
                Bessie was the wife of
             Isaac MacLain MacKeen
         16August 1876-10January 1940
They raised 6 children on the old MacKeen homestead in Aspen, Nova Scotia. Bessie wrote very beautifully descriptive vivid poems. Isaac was a violinist, skillfuly playing his renditions of old time music, which were much in demand in the country side.

MEMORIES

Memories, how they come to haunt me.
Lonely visions come and go
Strange tonight that they should haunt me
When the evening fires burn low.

I was dreaming I was sailing
On a ship of golden dreams.
Out where waves softly whisper,
And the silvery moonlight beams.

E're my lonely dream is ended
And I have awaken to my care
In the old armchair beside me.
Like a swiftly answered prayer:
Sits the form of one who loved me,
In the happy long ago.
Bringing to me happy memories,
As the moments come and go.
E're the rosy life of morning,
From the eastern heaven streams.
Out of life's sad sea of wreakage,
I have built a ship of dreams.
Bess MacKeen

TWILIGHT HOUR

Sweet twilight hour when day and night are blending
The lovely shades of silver, blue and gold!
It is the time of rest when day is ending,
And stories of the by-gone days are told.

It is the time when memories come to linger
Of friends,long gone, who hold us in their power.
Ah, who would miss the magic of your sweetness,
That only comes to us at twilight hour.

Though joys of life have failed and caused resentment,
By day our souls are wrapped in darkest gloom;
Sweet twilight hour can bring our hearts contentment,
The flowers of love, though faded seem to bloom.

But as the twilight shadows swiftly darken,
And lose her memories in the dew of night;
We wander from the bowers of love's enchantment,
And bid our memories for a time, Good night.

Bess MacKeen