Many years ago, in Dallas, Texas
In a new house built by my dad
At 1309 Caldwell St. to be exact
That was the house where I was born.
The front porch had three columns
With a banister in between the three
The house was wood frame painted white
With flowers out front for people to see.
To the rear of this white painted house
An arbor of pipe and wire built by my dad
And planted grape vines to make a cover
To shade the little back porch we had.
But all too soon, there was to be
A new arrival, another heir
There was one girl and then 2 boys
There'll be load of love to share.
It was a Thursday, January 8th
A baby girl arrived just fine
Hale and hearty, but oh so pretty
To her what name will be assign?
Dad name me for my mother
His mother's name was my middle name
But I was called "Little Sister" by all
Dad named me: my mother did proclaim.
Bessie MelVina Carathers
November 17, 2002
My son was told some 45 years later
By his grandmother, what my brother called me
While he talked and walked 'round my crib
His name for me was "Sweet Baby Honey".
The summer after my 3rd birthday
To the country our family moved
A bigger house on 12 acres of land
This place in the country, we really loved.
On Highway 80 our house stood
We heard there was this 1-room school
One mile away, it had 2 teachers
Where we 4 siblings learned the rule.
This past October, I was in town
An urge to drive by my old birthplace
Kept nagging and nagging at me so strong
So I drove by at a very slow pace.
In four years, it had changed so much
I looked at the old neighborhood with a sadden face
The street was trashy and yards unkept
At first, I didn't recognize the old place.
Our old house had lived thru a fire
The house was boarded up and blackened by smoke
The last few years had taken its toll
Eighty-two years: the house is bent and broke.
To show my son, I took some photos
So many stories this old house could tell
From this house where I was born
Stories were told to me ~ I remember them well.