Blog-o-versary History Day

by Anita Mae Draper

Another Blog-o-versary! Yeehaaaaaaaawwwwwwww!!!

Three years ago I was invited to join a group of women who wanted to blog about two things we had in common - our faith and our writing journey. After much prayer, I joined Inkwell Inspirations and I've been blessed every day since.

Three weeks after Inktropolis went live, many of the Inkies met at the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference at Denver 2009. That truly made the conference special since I hadn't met any of the Inkies prior to that point. All of our contact had been in a virtual world.

However, something else happened at the time which brings us back to today's post since it has to do with history. As Debra said yesterday, Tuesday will remain History days here at Inktropolis and Lisa has spent time designing a brand new blog header to introduce the day. Ready for the unveiling? Drum roll please...

And here's where the history part comes in... after Denver 2009 ended, I spent several days on a research trip while I meandered back to Saskatchewan. Several sights are still vivid in my memory, but nothing can equal the emotions I felt atop a windswept hill as I stood between the historic wheel ruts on the Oregon Trail. The experience triggered my creative side and before I reached home, the following poem had practically written itself. I originally posted it here on Sep 25, 2009, and now as we walk side-by-side into another year together, I want to take you back in time...

You Were By My Side

by Anita Mae Draper,  September 21st, 2009

based on the Oregon Trail Ruts, Guernsey, Wyoming

On a cold, windy September day

I climbed upon a hill

An aura of expectation filled me

yet time stood still

I usually don’t stray off the path

but this wasn’t a usual day

I couldn’t see from where I stood

so I walked the rest of the way

And peering over the weathered ledge

down where the wagons rolled

The trail was there for all to see

the pioneers of old

The limestone had been worn down

five feet deep in spots

From wagons loaded up with treasures

food and cooking pots

Just standing there wasn’t enough

I needed to feel it too

So I stepped down between the ruts

and you stepped down there, too

My eyes filled with tears that day

and like a babe I cried

But I was not alone up there

for you were by my side

Did you hear the grunt of straining men

who pulled upon the ropes?

Or pushed the wagons up the hill,

the incentive was their hopes?

Mothers and sisters trod along

making their own path

Wearing smooth the limestone rocks

and wishing for a bath

The laughter of children running about

as children often do

Not realizing history was being made

upon the hilltop, too

The wagon master cracks his whip

urges the team to go

No stopping ‘til the crest is reached

and then he hollers ‘Whoa!’

I hear it all like it was then,

I smell the sweat drift by

The harness brass is clinking,

a baby starts to cry

And as the sounds fade away

my tears begin to dry

The moment’s passed and I’m still here

atop the hill so high

So many years have passed since

the Oregon Trail was used

No hint of vandalism here

no proof it’s been abused

I thank the men in government

who let us wander here

Without the chains to cordon off

not even threat of deer

I wandered much upon that hill,

I even sat and sighed

But I wasn’t lonely there that day

for you were by my side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To celebrate our Blog-o-versary,
we are giving away five prizes!

 

If you'd like to be in our drawing, please tell us in your comment and leave your email address (safely - that means don't use your full address with the @ sign, but be sneaky about it).

Giveaways include:
1. Winner's choice of any one Inky Ebook available on Amazon for Kindle
2. Winner's choice of one of these three: Letters in the Attic, A Key in the Attic, or In Honor Bound by DeAnna Julie Dodson
3. A $10.00 Starbucks gift card to one winner
4. A $10.00 Amazon gift card to one winner.
5. A copy of Cascades Christmas, Gina Welborn's newest release

That's FIVE winners!

 

Winners' names will be drawn at random from those entering by comment. Winners will be "first drawn equals first choice" and will be contacted after names are drawn Sunday, September 9th 2012.

Please remember - you can't win if you don't leave your email address.