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June's Poems - "Fly Away" and others!

 

"JUNE and STAN"

(Heaven and Earth)

June and Stan

(June and Stan's photo - 1991)

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June has gone on ahead of me...
looking down with a smile today.
She has been renewed forever
I am getting older by the day.
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My body has many cracks,
crevices and creases.
"chugging along", missing June -
For Love, it never ceases
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Resting on a swaying foundation
God has been good to me
I'm "chugging along" waiting my turn
My Glorious June to see.
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I've got Memories by the dozen,
reminiscences by the score…
The day I stop remembering…
is the day I'll close this door.
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My World will have ended
Heaven bound I will be.
Where June is ever waiting...
For her Stan she will see.
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My World will soon end
Temporary it has been.
God is calling me home...
where Eternity will begin.

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(John L. Stevens - 24 April 2016)

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John L. Stevens

Stan’s Notes:  While John L. Stevens was not one of my lifetime best friends, John was one of my first Internet, Online and Facebook friends and was part of my early set up of June's website in 2008. 

John L. Stevens was the first of my poet friends that I met in May of 2008...I met John as I was setting up June’s website...John had just written a poem about Alzheimer’s that he named: “Remember for Me.” I had just written a similar poem about June for her newly created website, that poem I had named: “An Alzheimer’s Memories of the Heart.”

At that time, John who was living in Twin Falls, Idaho had a poetry website called the: “Idaho Stevens Family “John’s above poem about the memory problems of Alzheimer’s was featured on that page with a link to June’s website.

John has since moved to Kaufman, Texas and has a 2nd, but newer poetry website called  “Hello Poetry”...this newer website now features John’s newest poem as shown above...this poem he has named... “June and Stan”...John describes this new poem:  “Half the words are Stan’s. All the words are from his heart...

John advises that this poem can be found on both of his sites of poetry.”...John's comment that the words are mine has reference to my standard AOL online correspondence signature blockparagraph.

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This first poem by John on this page of poems that June has collected, will serve as an introduction to: “June’s Poems – The World According to June”...I hope that you will enjoy the many poems on this page...

 

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John is now officially designated as "John L. Stevens, Honorary Assistant Site Host and Editor" and will serve as a volunteer in charge of this site with responsibility and authority for keeping the site updated. arrange to correct errors, keep links operational and make changes in the site to maintain a high level of quality. Changes made however, should never be incompatible with the overall website

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June Berg 1993

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JUNE'S PERSONAL COLLECTION of POEMS

June collected poems, verses, prayers and special writings that were displayed strategically all about 6025 Gardena Lane. They all remain in place, very much as they were on the sad day - 16 March 2005, when June left our home forever.

This collection of poems, verses, prayers and special writings, that are a baker's dozen plus one (14) in number, are reproduced below. I think this collection will give one a glimpse into the character and the personality of this special lady. There is a saying - "Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are!".  This collection of June's poems and verses are also June's friends in a literary sense and clearly define who June is. Three of the verses relate to "Friends" and serve to highlight the importance of friends in June's life...

We have a small room for relaxing that might be called a family room but that we call the "TV Room", perhaps because of the prominent placement of a large old console type TV set  in the middle of the room. The room has a couch and an easy chair. On the couch are two small pillows with embroidered sayings. The sayings reflect June's love of home and friends. - "Home is the Heart's Nesting Place." - "Welcome Friends." With this introduction, I welcome you to enjoy June's special collection of  poems, verses and prayers, may they touch your heart as they have touched mine!

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"I DID NOT DIE!"

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June's Grave Memorial Day 2007

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 Do not stand at my grave and weep.

     I am not there, I do not sleep.

     I am a thousand winds that blow.

     I am the diamond glints on snow.

     I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

     I am the gentle autumn's rain.

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  When you awaken in the morning's hush,

     I am the swift uplifting rush -

            Of quiet birds in circled flight.

     I am the soft star that shines at night.

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I am the flowers that bloom.

I am in a quiet room.

I am the birds that sing.

I am in each lovely thing.

    Do not stand at my grave and cry.

     I am not there, I did not die!

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June's Grave marker with flowers 

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(Mary Elizabeth Frye - 1932) 

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Stan's Notes: Although I understand the admonitions and the advice of this beautiful poem, I still find myself overcome by grief and weeping when I stand at June’s grave during my weekly visits. I am sure that some would criticize my conduct. My response would be that Jesus wept when advised of the death of his good friend Lazarus. Why should I be held to a different standard of conduct? (John 11: 35:  “Jesus Wept.” (KJV)

This poem was found among some of June's remembrances of her mother Haldis C. (Varnes-Rolstad) Nedland.  I thought it was beautiful and touching. Some of June's finest qualities came from her mother Haldis.  Haldis passed away on 28 August of 1988 at Chetek, Wisconsin. I named the poem "I Did Not Die" as June's version had no name. There are a number of versions of this beautiful poem in existence. Most have the name "Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep". The Poem has achieved world wide popularity.

The original author is thought to be Mary Elizabeth Frye in 1932 - Frye of Baltimore, MD, is said to have written the poem for her closest friend following the death of the friends mother in Germany.  The friend was said to be a Margaret Schwarzkopf, a German Jewish lady who was not able to be with her mother at the time of her mother's death and burial. In her grief, Ms. Schwarzkopf lamented how she had been "denied the chance to stand at her mother's grave and say goodbye!"  The Poem was Frye's attempt to console the friend in her grief.

There is also a Native American version which appeared in the late 1990's. It was named "Native American Prayer." In December 2006, it was translated by Man Arai into a Japanese song called "A Thousand Winds". - There are other versions and other claimed authors but the Frye authorship appears to be the earliest and most likely the correct author for the original version of this most beautiful poem..

 

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Photo Notes: The top photo is by Jim Gehrz  taken during my visit to June's Grave with fresh roses for Memorial Day 2010. - The bottom photo was taken by granddaughter Gretchen after I delivered fresh yellow Roses to June's Grave during the summer of 2011 - Stan Berg

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"FLY AWAY JUNE"

(Released from the Shadows of Alzheimer's)

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 a lady and eagle flying away

(God's Angel in the form of an Eagle leading June to Heaven) 

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Fly, fly, little wing, fly beyond imagining.

The softest cloud, the whitest dove.

Upon the winds of heaven’s love.

Past the planets and the stars.

Leave this lonely world of ours.

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Escape the sorrow and the pain -

Fly  June, fly,  do not fear.

Although I will shed a tear...

Your heart is pure, your soul is free.

Be on your way, don’t wait for me.

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Above the universe you’ll climb.

Fly on beyond the hands of time.

The moon will rise, and the sun will set.

But June, of you I will never forget...

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On that someday when we meet once more…

Will you be there June to open heaven’s door?

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Original Author Unknown...

Stan Berg's Revision - (2009)

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Stan’s Notes: The original little poem, (Fly Away) author unknown, was found among June's various papers relating to her mother’s death in 1988. The idea of flying away from this cruel world inspired my revisions and re-writings to tell the story of June the Alzheimer’s victim…I tried to retain the original poem's basic idea…but to make a connection to the journey into the darkness of Alzheimer's. I have made several changes and additions, revisions, and added an illustration, added a sub-title…I added the ending that I envision for June and I.

There are a number of poems by the same name by other authors but the words and contents are entirely different. (Allison C. Coxsey, Pansy Steele, Mariah Carey and Kathy Gatlin are such examples…Celine Dion has used several similar lines in a song and records dating 2011-2012…Her first use of a very similar poem was a song "Fly" a part of her Album "Falling Into You" released 6 March 1996...The writers were said to be Goldman and Galdston...obviously from June’s dating her original copy at her mother’s death in 1988, it would seem that Celine and her staff were clearly not the originators…)

I just learned that the song dates back to 1929 when it was first written...there is a complete "Wikipedia" page on the song...George Jones also recorded his song...Celine had nothing to do with originating the song whatever but seemed to attempt to take credit for it.

My basic idea for revising this poem is grounded in the thought that we leave our aged and diseased body here on earth while our soul is ushered into heaven by one of God’s Angels…

Revelations 21: 4 says: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Many persons have the idea that when we die we become Angels…this is clearly not true…Angels are God’s staff and serve him as messengers, warriors and as the guides that usher us into heaven…

Trudy Harris, RN was a Hospice Nurse who tells (Glimpses of Heaven - 2008) of how some of her patients described angelic figures that appeared to be waiting for the patient’s passing to usher them into heaven…they could only be seen by the hospice patient…the descriptions by the different patients were all strikingly similar…”When they spoke of angels, which many did, the angels were always described as more beautiful than they had ever imagined, eight feet all…and wearing a white…“Luminescent” is what each one said, like nothing they had ever seen before…they spoke of music…”beautiful choirs”…”far more exquisite than any symphony they had ever heard”…”colors too beautiful to describe”…None were described as having wings and most appeared to be male...At first she thought that perhaps these things were the result of the patients being medicated or dehydrated but then saw others saying the same thing when they were not either medicated or dehydrated…at that point she said “I started to really listen.

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- "A PICTURE OF STAN WITHOUT JUNE" -

sTAN 

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Imagine a World Where No Music was Playing.

And Think of a Church with Nobody Praying.

Have You ever looked up at a Sky With No Blue.

Then You've Seen a Picture of Stan Without June.

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Have You Walked in a Garden Where Nothing Was Growing.

Or Stood by a River Where Nothing was flowing.

If you've Seen a Red Rose, Unkissed by the Dew.

Then You've Seen a Picture of Stan Without June.

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Can You Picture Heaven with No Angels Singing.

On a Bright Sunday Morning With No Church Bells Ringing.

If You've Watched as the Heart of a Child Breaks in Two.

Then You've Seen a Picture of Stan Without June.

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Then You've Seen a Picture of Stan Without June.

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(Stan's Revision of "A Picture of You Without Me." - 2018)

 

 

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"Love Me Now"

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"If you are ever going to love me,

Love me now, while I can know.

The sweet and tender feelings,

Which from true affection flow.

Love me now,

While I am living.

Do not wait until I'm gone.

Then to have it chiseled in marble,

Sweet words on ice-cold stone.

If you have tender thoughts of me,

Please tell me now.

If you wait until I'm sleeping,

Never to awaken,

There will be death between us,

And I' won't hear you then.

So, if you love me,

Even a little bit,

Let me know it while I am living,

So I can treasure it."

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(Author Unknown)

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Stan's Notes: (Love Me NowThis is one of the poems that June personally collected (2002) and framed in a 5 x 7 frame for the living room - it is on the center end table under the large windows.

Because of the importance of this poem, we have an entire page devoted to a discussion and the significance of this poem and the time period in which June first collected it...it was clearly a cry from June to the family at a time when her short term memory loss did not permit her to remember the recent family displays of love toward her...

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"Footprints"

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Some People come into our lives

and quickly go...

Some People stay awhile and -

Leave Footprints on our heart -

We are never the same.

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(1983 - Yours, Mine & Ours)

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Stan's Notes:  (Footprints) This little framed poem has been a part of our living room for many years, where it has decorated the top of a small end table next to our living room couch. It was probably acquired by June in the early or mid 1980's. I have read it many times and always reflected on how June has left footprints on my heart and I have never been the same!

This little poem (Footprints) also appears at the end of the last chapter (31) in the book about June that is titled: "Reminiscences of a Traveling Grandmother". I thought that it was an appropriate description of June!

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The Watcher – Mother

Margaret Widdemer (1884-1978)

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 The Watcher 

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She always leaned to watch for us,

 Anxious if we were late,

In winter by the window,

In summer by the gate;

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An though we mocked her tenderly,

Who had such foolish care,

The long way home would seem more safe

Because she waited there.

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Her thoughts were all so full of us –

 She never could forget!

 And so I think that where she is

 She must be watching yet,

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Waiting till we come home to her,

Anxious if we were late-

Watching from Heaven’s window,

 Leaning from Heaven’s gate.

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Haldis Rolstad - June's Watcher Mother 

Haldis

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 Stan’s Notes: (The Watcher) This poem was found folded up in June’s old Bible…while the folded poem did not indicate the author, my research revealed it was the creation of Margaret Widdemer, a lady poet, now in heaven, and a poet with great credentials and many awards…

June would tuck odds and ends of memorabilia and clippings in between the pages of her old Bible…some were from funerals as I expect this poem was…it most likely was from her Mother Haldis's funeral in August of 1988...or it may have been from a friend or a friend’s mother…

The Bible was one of her oldest and the covers are now frayed and torn…The presentation page inscriptions  show that it was originally a birthday present from our son Dan for June’s 38th birthday in November 1965. Dan was then age 16. (It is the Revised Standard Version –one of the King James family of Bibles.)

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"LOVE"

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Photo Memories Album of Junes

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" Love Bears all things,

Believes all things,

Hopes all things,

Endures all things.

Love never ends."

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(1 Corinthians 13)

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Stan's Notes: This Bible verse defining true love, is on the cover of one of June's small photo albums (Photo Memories) on the living room coffee table...

This Bible verse as quoted above, is also is on a magnet on the kitchen's refrigerator door 

Love is the cornerstone of the Christian Religion...the above quotation is only a single verse  out  of 13 verses found in 1 Corinthians 1-13.

Verse 13, or the ending verse reads: "faith, hope and love, but the "greatest of these is love"...

Several verses state that without Love, you have and are nothing!  Christians should be proud of their religion...a religion that has love as it's cornerstone!...I know of No other religion claiming love as their cornerstone.

June was a great Christian Embasador of Love...June was always smiling...June was once described by one of her cousin's as the "Lady with the Friendly Smile and the Kind Eyes!"

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(The illustration used above is an actual photo scan of the  cover of June's Photo Memories album)

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"PEACE"

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Peace

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 May the Peace of

our heavenly Father...

be with you always

and bring you comfort.

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(Heartfelt, 2003)

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Note:  (Peace) This small framed verse was one that June kept on the top of one of the end tables in the small family room that we call the "TV Room.".

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" Birthday Prayer"

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June's Birthday Prayer

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I said a Birthday Prayer for you -

And I asked the Lord above

To keep you safely in his care

And enfold you in his love -

I did not ask for fortune,

For riches or for fame,

I only asked for blessings

In the Savior's Holy name -

Blessings to surround you

In times of trial and stress,

And inner joy

To fill your heart

With Peace and Happiness.

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This "Birthday Prayer" was one that June had fastened as a laminated card to the window divider above the kitchen sink overlooking our front yard and front walkway steps..at our home at 6025 Gardena Lane. The backside of the card has the notation of Helen Steiner Rice,  "POCKET CROSS"  by the Helen Steiner Rice Foundation in Houston, Pennsylvania....1983...it has remained on the window divider where June placed in since approx. 1983...this is so typical of June...I wonder how long it will remain in this position after I leave our old home...it has been there now over 30 years...

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June and Stan

"True Friend"

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Every true friend

is a glimpse

of

GOD 

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(Author Unknown)

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Stan's Notes: (True Friend) This little verse or saying is mounted on a crocheted and framed 5x7 plaque that hangs in the kitchen over our wall phone...June was my true friend...This picture of June and myself was taken in the year of 2002...this was out 50th anniversary and this was June's 6th year of Alzheimer's

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"True Friends"

True Friends

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True Friends are never forgotten.

They live within your heart.

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(Author unknown)

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This little verse, above, about a true friend or friends, is mounted on a little wooden plaque 4.5"x5.5", framed in painted flowers and is prominently displayed in a small family room  that we call the "TV Room."

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Below is my definition of a "True Friend" as I published in on Facebook on 17 June 2017.
 
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A True Friend is Someone Who Supports you Because You Are Their Friend.

A True Friend is One Who Makes You Feel Like You Are a Blessing to Them and Never a Burden.

A True Friend is Someone Who is Always There For You Both in Sunshine and Cloudy Skies.

A True Friend is Someone, Who even in Times of Sadness, Stress and Life's Rain...can Show You That There is indeed a Sun Behind all of Life's Clouds.
 
A True Friend is someone, who will remind you in times of sorrow, stress or sadness, that there is a Living Christian God, who will always be there for you, and show you His Love, Care, Comfort and Peace!

All of These Together is What Makes one a True Friend!


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 "FRIEND"

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 June and Stan 2002

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Don't Walk before me -

I may not follow.

Don't walk behind me -

I may not lead.

Just walk beside me -

And be my friend...

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 (Author unknown)

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Stan's Notes: (Friend) This little verse or saying was framed by June and is hanging in our guest bedroom. While it is applicable to all who may be a friend, I had always viewed it as a message for husbands and wives. June was my best friend!

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"Mr. RIGHT"

Mr. Right

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When I married

Mr. Right,

I didn’t know

His first name

Was Always!

(Author Unknown)

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Note: (Mr. Right) This comical little verse was June’s way of telling me something in a very light hearted way. It is mounted in a little walnut framed plaque approx. 6”x8”. It is mounted on one of our kitchen walls. When I first saw it, my reaction was a hurt feeling. However when I thought about it I had to laugh.

Now I smile every time I see it. June was right about the message. I was a person who tended to always think I was right. While I recognized that I could not always be right, however, at the time, I always thought that I was right.

June and I never had arguments. June would frequently say to me: “Stan, we get along good don’t we!” I remember June telling our Redeemer Church pastor at our 50th anniversary, that we never argued.

Politically we were aligned the same and considered ourselves conservative. The fact that we had both been raised on a farm during the “Great Depression” days by families that were poor, many of our early life experiences and environmental impacts were similar.

I recognize that our unusual record of no arguments was more June’s doing then mine. While we did not have arguments, June observed my interaction with friends and relatives and others on political and social matters and probably thought this was a good way of bringing it to my attention without offending me...and June was right!

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BIBLE VERSE - "John 3:16."

Plaque John 3: 16

"For God so loved the world,

that he gave  his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have ever-lasting life."

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(King James Version) 

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John 3:16: This bible verse is in the form of a wall plaque (6x8) with fancy old engraved English style lettering. This plaque hangs in the downstairs bathroom that is adjacent to my office. This little plaque has special meaning to me and represents how June made a change in my life by very subtle means. This plaque and Bible verse has a special story behind it...

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Stan's Note: When this page was first created in 2009, this plaque was hanging in the downstairs bathroom as indicated...Now in the year 2018, I have had it moved upstairs to a prominent location in our living room so I can see it often and think of June and how she changed my life...I am now on long term care and use a walker to get around...and I am unable to go into the basement or up and down the basement stairs. (25 August 2018)

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June changed my life and brought me into regular church attendance without ever nagging or pressuring me. I was a person who only went to church on the special holidays. I was just too busy or had other frivolous excuses. June set a good example for me by going every Sunday alone and by always praying for me. Although I did not realize it at the time, she was using very subtle and effective psychology on me. June knew that I spent much of my time in my downstairs office. She knew that I frequently used the little bathroom next to the office. June arranged to place the above mounted and attractive plaque with the quotation from John3:16 on the bathroom wall. It was so located that every time I used the bathroom, I was looking directly at the quotation. I may not have known much about the Bible but I really knew John 3:16. (KJV.)...gradually by June's good example and my own study of the Bible...I am now an enthusiastic Bible Student...I came to realize that there was a God and the God was a Christian God...I discovered that the Holy Spirit dwells within our body and is always speaking to us by way of our conscience...there is never any question about what is right or wrong....we also have a guardian Angel that watches after us and trys to keep us from making foolish and dangerous mistakes. 

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It took me some time before I became a regular every Sunday church attender...I always had excuses...On a certain and a special Sunday after June had left for church with the children, and as I was sitting in my office - I thought about June and one of my work slogans - “first things first”  -  that I was really not doing this in my life. I had a sudden deep feeling of shame in that I had for years let June go to church alone. I arose and went to church that day and have done so regularly ever since. This made June very happy and  when she later told others about this change in my life, she would throw up your arms and exclaim: “and suddenly there he was.” I also found out that my new found church friends were very interesting people and I often found myself one of the last to leave the coffee area of the lounge each Sunday...I loved our discussion's

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When June gave me the John 3:16 reference verse, she gave me the most important verse in the Bible. Reverend Falwell in his last sermon before he died said: - “if the Bible were a financial statement, John 3:16 would be the Bottom Line.”

He also said that when looking for a synopsis or summary of the bible, John 3:16 is the Bible’s super summary” and if you understand and believe this passage you have got it all. 

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(Photo illustration above is the actual plaque involved in this story)

 

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"THE LORD'S PRAYER"

Lords Prayer

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 Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed by thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth,

As it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil;

For thine is the kingdom,

And the power and

The glory, forever.

Amen

(Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)

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STAN'S NOTES: (Lord's Prayer) This is a 7"x9" elaborately framed plaque with old style lettering and surrounded by illustrated flowers. There are two identical plaques of this style in our home. One hangs in our main floor bathroom and the other hangs on the south wall of our front entry way. Photo illustration is the actual plaque from the bathroom in  June's home at 6025 Gardena Lane...As expected, June was both the framer and the poster/hanger of our copies of the Lord's Prayer.

It seems appropriate that the "Lord's Prayer"be the last item in this collection of June's cherished poems, verses and sayings.

The Lord's Prayer is said to be the best know prayer in Christianity. It was estimated that on Easter Sunday, over 2 billion Christians recited or sang the prayer in hundreds of languages.

While another version of the Lord's prayer appears in Luke 11:2-4, this version by Luke lacks the smooth flowing beauty and poetry of the Matthew's version and is clearly not my preferred version.

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This Prayer is the prayer that I say before every meal that I have...a prayer in which I not only thank God for the meal but I also thank God for the Great Life that He has given to June and myself in the days that we were together...is was a life far beyond my wildest dreams and a life beyond my greatest imaginations and the building of "Air Castles".

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(Photo Notes: Photo below is June and Stan's hands - 31 October 2007 - At the  time of this photo, June had already entered the last year of her life. Alzheimer's had carried her into a world where she could no longer be reached. I slowly lost June, tear drop by tear drop...Holding June's hand was our only means of communication.  (This photo is by Jim Gehrz.)

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June's Stan's Hands

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Reader's Comments

Terry Shepherd  - Warsaw, Indiana - (8 August 2013): "This is incredible. I think it is wonderful that you have this collection"

Marsha McKneely Aulta  - Nacogdoches, Texas - (9 August 2013): "Special lady and a beautiful collection of what she loved."...(1 February 2015): "I like "A friend is a glimpse of God...(14 August 2015): "A true heart of a mother...beautiful. (The Watcher...)"

Dianne Cogar  - Springfield, Ohio - (9 August 2013): "June had very good taste in her selection of poetry I see. If these works are  a reflection of  her heart from days gone by, then I believe she wore wings long before they were earned. This tells me she was an earth angel in training to carry on an infinite service in heaven and on earth. Stan, I believe June is with you during your happiest moments, and in your darkest hours-- spreading her wings in emotional delight and gently embracing you with her loving arms to  calm your fears and comfort your weary soul when need be."... (14 August 2015):"The heartstrings of a caring mother, beautiful and sincere." (The Watcher...)

Elece Hollis  - Okmulgee, Oklahoma- (9 August 2013): "Enjoying reading the web pages about June's life. I love the hands photo."

Donald Hiatt  - Clovis, California - (9 August 2013): "Thank you so very much for sharing this collection of wonderful poems.  Through them I feel as if I can see June's heart.  I will be anxious to meet her when we all reach that golden shore...Blessings...Don."

Karen Baker  - Winsford, Cheshire, United Kingdom - (9 January 2014): "Happy new year, I've reposted this on my twitter my dear friend ."

Elaine Wharmby  - Tamworth, United Kingdom - (9 January 2014): "Hi Stanton, I have read this link before but have read it again now, ... Fly away June is beautiful and so is Love Me Now. ... I am in the UK and I do like SOME poetry."

Alzheimer Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, Inc.  - Mount Pearl, Canada - (9 January 2014): "Poems are such a beautiful form of expression; thank you so much for sharing! -Amelia White, Events Coordinator."

Christine Pickard  - Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdon - (9 January 2014): "I love Poems ..."

Jackie Irving - Liverpool, United Kingdom - (8 August 2015): "That's so lovely Stan.....I always look forward to reading these beautiful poems ...I've always liked to write poetry too...just for myself ...but nothing like as good as the poems on here...God bless. ("Fly Away June...)...(14 August 2015):   "This poem is so beautiful Stan...and captures what a mother is and the enduring love she has...how lovely the vision of her watching from heavens window...this must have been Junes thoughts when her own mother passed ...I hope she found great comfort in those words ...God bless Stan." (The Watcher...)

Mary Quigley  - Athlone, Ireland - (8 August 2015): "That's so beautiful Stan." (Fly Away June")

Jane Moore  - Camelford, United Kingdom - (8 August  2015): "Love your picture Stan and the poems! Poetry should feature a great deal more in the support for all." (Fly Away June)

Derek Fisher  - Barkingside, Redbridge, United Kingdom - (8 August 2015): "I don't like it, I LOVE IT." (Fly Away June)

Janet Ashenden  - Derby, United Kingdom - (8 August 2015): "Lovely Stan." (Fly Away June)...(14 August 205)"Really beautiful poem. Thank you for sharing." (The Watcher...)

Joan Brookes - Liverpool, United Kingdom - (14 August 2015): "Very touching, beautiful collection of poems... June was obviously a very special Lady  Thank you for sharing."

Angela Goldie  - Irvine, North Ayrshire, United Kingdom - (14 August 2015):"Just beautiful...lost my mum few weeks ago." (The Watcher...) 

Toots Scudder  - London, United Kingdom - (14 August 2015): "Oohh how beautiful is that, and so true. You've done it again Stanton."...(The Watcher...) 

Louise Ann Howard  - Batemans Bary, New South Wales, Australia - (14 August 2015): "So so beautiful Stan. Thank you again my mate..." (The Watcher...)

Bonnie Phillips  - Eugene, Oregon - (27 April 2016): "I read all of the poems and comments Stan, They were very touching & special. Your day will come soon to see June again & you will Surely be overcome with happiness to see June again. The poems were wonderful. Thank you."

Janice Wells  - Saugus, Massachusetts - (27 April 2016):"These poems touch my heart.Thank you."

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June's Passing

June 1994

After battling Alzheimer's for almost 12 years, an exhausted June was finally called home by God on an early Thursday morning on October 23rd, 2008. As June lay tired and exhausted like a soldier on a battlefield, she felt God's gentle touch on her shoulder and heard the words: "Come Home June!." Her funeral notice as published in the Minneapolis Star in October 2008 can be seen on this website under the "In Memoriam" label -   Click on:

"June K. (Rolstad) Berg - In Memoriam".

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