From our Great Grandfather Hughes, within a Saturday evening edition of the Springfield, Missouri Paper:
I have an interesting letter from Willow Springs. A contributor tells me that he has long wondered where all the Ozark poets came from, but now Rabbit Twister has "spilled the beans." He says---
"Well, now, I'm not making any kick about that, but want to thank him for his recipe for making poets out of hillbillies. He says all you have to do is soak you head and go to bed and sprout a poem. But why soak your head? I'm sure that the majority of us have enough sap in our heads for sprouting purposes. Here's my poem for Rabbit Twister's benefit!
If Rabbit Twister's on the line
I'm gonna try an' show 'em
That I don't have to soak my head
To sprout this little poem.
It's not a classic, I'll admit,
And some may say it's silly,
But what the heck can you expect
From an "ignorant hillbilly?"
--J. M. Hughes
Willow Springs, Missouri
(Hey, for you, Mr. Hughes, go after him!)
EIGHT LINES
I'll write my eight line poem
Then send it on to May;
I don't expect to win a prize
Through what I have to say.
There's many an Ozark poet
More talented than I,
So if I fail to win a prize
You'll know the reason why.
--J. M. Hughes
Willow Springs, Missouri
(That's a good one, Hughes. Be a good sport)
The following were never published that I know of...
"Somewhere the sun is shining,
Somewhere the grass is green.
Somewhere the birds are singing,
Somewhere, carols of early spring.
Somewhere the buds are swelling,
Somewhere the soft winds blow.
Somewhere the flowers are blooming,
Somewhere under the sun's warm glow?
Somewhere the snow is falling
Somewhere the drifts pile high.
Somewhere the ground lies frozen,
Somewhere under a leaden sky."
