Amy Kitchener's Angels Without Wings Foundation
Presents the 2008 Illinois Senior Poet Laureate

Helen Rilling

HELEN E. RILLING, 94, Auburn, Illinois, artist and well-known award-winning poet, received the 2007 Mayor's Arts Awards for Springfield and surrounding Illinois counties. She was “hired hand” on her husband's farm for years. She has had five books and 1000 poems published. Her sign is Aquarius.

CAMEO OF A LONG AGO SPRING DAY


Papa came up from the barn.
He carried two shiny buckets of milk;
foam ran over the sides and a
passel of cats and kittens followed.
"Morning everyone." He smiled. "Would
you all like to take a walk today?"
Squeals of delight answered his question.
Papa knew the name of every wild flower
and bird that flew overhead. We trudged
across the meadow, a sea of purple clover.
Yellow and black bumble bees did loop-de-loops
around our heads. A spring fed the creek
that gurgled as it flowed on through the
countryside down to the river. Papa knelt
and showed us a delicate lady's slipper
all pink and purple. We saw yellow buttercups,
white daisies, and golden dandelions everywhere.
Trees blossomed overhead, birds fluttered and
filled the air with sweet music. I looked up to the
tall tree tops and wondered if I'd be in heaven
if I was up there. Papa found a sunny spot and we
knelt around him and said our noon blessing. We
each had a sandwich in our pocket. Bright yellow
butter oozed from the thick slices of homemade
bread. Papa found wild onions and washed them in the
crystal creek. After lunch we walked over to the walnut
grove in a neighbor's timber. We'd gather nuts there
in the fall. We retraced our steps and found more wild-
flowers like may apples, violets, and wild roses. We
picked Mother a bouquet. We rolled in the tall grass and
mocked the black crows in the distance. Papa told of his
father coming in a covered wagon to settle here on the
prairie. We felt a kinship to the land and a great love
for each other on this perfect joyous spring day.
I close my eyes and see papa in his gallus
overalls and straw hat. I hear the voices of my
brother and sisters. I smell the shady timber and
hear water rushing over fallen logs in the creek.
I know God is near this day.

Helen Rilling
Auburn, Illinois