Yesterday, a number of Dawson citizens spent a good bit of time searching for an elderly lady, Miss Clora, who had wandered out of her home the night before. (I was not part of the search party.)  Her body was found yesterday afternoon.

I never knew her and I do not think I ever met her.  She was a stranger to me, and I to her, much, I’m sure, to my loss!  But I’ve been thinking about her death.

I’m going to ask for pity here:  I am no poet and I know very little about poetry other than that I like to read poems I like.  But I’ve written a poem for Miss Clora that I thought I might share here.  It’s simply my effort to honor the passing of a lady who, by all accounts, was a wonderful person.

“Miss Clora”

(A Poem For A Lady I Never Knew)

She wandered, Miss Clora did
As folks sometimes do
When the years have been long
And the mind grows tired
And the feet get itchy for a walk

She wandered out, Miss Clora did
Two nights ago, just taking a walk
And it was noticed she was gone
And the search parties looked
A good bit of yesterday

And they found her, Miss Clora
In the late afternoon, yesterday, outside
Where she had wandered
And she was gone, Miss Clora was
Gone, but the body remained

And I never knew her, Miss Clora
Just saw the picture on the Shell station door
Where folks walk in to pay for gas
While Miss Clora walked out
Just to take a walk

And I wonder about her wandering, Miss Clora
(While the rest of us walked our routines)
How she decided to walk out
And nobody will ever know why
“She was confused,” we’ll say

But could it be that she, Miss Clora
Smelled Christmas in the air
And thought of Another who walked
And went out to meet Him
And met Him walking too, right here in Terrell County?

Merry Christmas, Miss Clora!