Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Nursing home resident enjoys writing poetry



He does it because he loves it.

Sam Fox, 69, has been living at St. Mary’s Care Center
since December 2002.

Fox has also written more than 150 different poems in recent
years. He started writing poetry, mainly two-liners, after he “retired”
in 1997.

He is originally from the south Twin Cities area, and was
a warehouse manager for many years. After retiring from the warehouse industry,
Fox took a part-time job in an office, opening mail, and doing other office
clerk chores.

“That’s when I started writing,” Fox said. “I
had more time on my hands. I was working three half-days a week at that
time.”

Fox has written poems about God, children, and many about
love.

“There are really a lot about love,” he said.
“Other than that, it’s just other things that come to mind when I get
an urge to write. There have been times where I was writing one every 15
minutes.”

Although Fox writes for his own enjoyment, he said that
if other people enjoy it, “it’s a plus.”

“One gal that worked here is getting married in May,”
Fox said. “She wanted a poem to put on the front of her wedding invitations,
but other than that, I just mainly write for my own.”

Fox writes his poems out long-hand first, and then uses
a word processor he keeps in his room to type the poetry. He keeps one full
book of poems, and one that is about three-fourths full next to his bed.

He was admitted to St. Mary’s Care Center after doctors
decided that a care facility would be the best place for him. Fox had a
lung operation in 1978, and was in the hospital 14 times in the year prior
to coming to St. Mary’s.

“It took a long time to get used to the fact that
this is my life,” he said. After making the move to St. Mary’s, Fox
cut back on his writing, as he was trying to make the adjustment to being
there.

Now, Fox is working on “getting back into the swing
of things and being used to being here,” and hopes to start producing
more poems in the near future.

He keeps a tablet handy to jot down ideas as they come
to him, and he said he also has many poems that are started, but not quite
finished yet.

Fox has never tried to get his material published, noting
that he does it “because I love it and it’s something that makes me
feel good.”

The stairway to heaven was chiseled with great love

Each step is guarded by angels from heaven above

 

The stairway to heaven is lit with the glow of God’s hand

So you may touch each stair on your trip up to His land

 

Live a good life, be true to yourself and your Lord

The long walk to heaven shall become your reward

 

The stairway to heaven was opened with Christ’s passing

As He walked up to home, the trumpets were blasting

 

Songs were being sung in the churches built on the land

As Christ reached the top and took his Father’s hand

 

The path is now open so others may follow him home

They now have a place to go and settle and need not roam

 

With His Son back He told everyone, and let it be known

That when He called, you would be brought to His home

 

While you are there and in His great hands

He will teach you and tell you of His lands

 

They say that day when it comes, will be second to none

That’s the day you will meet the Lord and His great Son

 

No matter of whom, what, or where you are

In His eyes, you will always be a shining star

S.P.F. March 9, 2001

 

A mouse had a friend that lived by the water

Who happened to be a very friendly little otter

 

The mouse and the otter met one day

While watching their kids at play

 

Said the otter to the mouse, as He watched the kids

I think we need a day off before we flip our lids

 

Said the mouse to the otter, now that’s a thought

We can figure it out between us, we’re all we’ve got

 

Said the otter to the mouse, you could watch mine one day

They are very good children, in the water they would play

 

Said the mouse to the otter, I couldn’t, they are too large

If they were in trouble I would have to build a barge

 

Said the mouse to the otter, you could watch mine one day

They are very good children, in the grass they would play

 

Said the otter to the mouse, I couldn’t, they are too small

I wouldn’t see them if they called, the grass is too tall

 

So the mouse and the otter sat there thinking the rest
of the day

They decided not to leave, if the kids were out to play

 

The mouse and the otter agreed, the kids should have a
voice

The next day they talked to them to find out their choice

 

As you so well know, not a single answer they could find

The mouse and the otter are still sitting, they don’t mind

 

The families, to each other have become a very good friend

And should stay that way until the day it’s time to end

S.P.F. October 15, 2000

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