ODE TO OAK HILL: Betty Finlan Reninger of Orange Park, Fla.,
grew up in Bradford and tells us she has many relatives buried in
Oak Hill Cemetery.

A couple months ago, before she heard of efforts to refurbish
this beautiful old resting place, she wrote this poem as a tribute
to its place in the community. She calls it, simply, “The
Cemetery.”

It had been there forever,

like the many deceased.

Years ago the steps crumbled and fell into disrepair.

Weeds flourished and the retaining wall was gone.

Below lay the small oil town,

like the wall, the oil too was gone.

A honeybee stung the child’s leg.

Flowers were quickly placed and

the silent spirits watched,

fearing for their resting place.

Letters flowed in,

was there none who cared?

Fireworks blazed from the surrounding earth.

The town clock peeled out the hour and

Like a heavenly choir, the church bells

burst forth a melodious tune.

The memorial parade was in remembrance.

Never forget.

THIS, TOO: With poems we’re always a little hesitant about the
proper placement of stanzas. With email transmissions, that gets
even more complicated. So let us apologize, in advance, to Mrs.
Reninger if we have “tortured” her poetry too much.

GLASS BAR: Peter Swanson of Seneca Falls, N.Y., writes about a
recent RTS subject: “As I recall, the Glass Bar had an earlier life
(same name) on West Washington Street, approximately across from
the intersection with Gates Hollow. Believe it was in a two-story
former home and that it was severely damaged by fire and later
reopened on Dorothy Lane. My guess would be this was approximately
60 years ago. At the time of its West Washington location, my
maternal grandparents lived on Gates Hollow.”

IN THE NEWS: Christine Jovenitti of Johnsonburg drops us an
e-line to say the Letters from Home Program, an effort for our
overseas troops which she coordinates for the Elk County area, is
featured in the current edition of People. The article apparently
includes a letter readers can submit to the troops.