submitted by Dianna
Hannah E. Renshaw was born September 5, 1907 in Wayne County Illinois. Her present age is 73. She was one of five children raised on the Renshaw home place near Mt. Erie, Illinois.
Miss Renshaw taught school in Wayne county for several years. She taught in the one room schools such as the old Heidinger school and the Van de Veer school near Mt Erie. She worked in Chicago for some time before entering the Army during the early 1940's where she stayed for over 20 years. Upon retirement she worked for the government in a civilian position and eventually returned to Illinois and the country life that she had always enjoyed.
Miss Renshaw spends her time growing flowers and gardening. She paints and reads and has taken courses through Frontier Community College. She has served as president of the Wayne County Senior Citizens group and maintains an active role within that organization.
Her enjoyment of an Awareness of nature as well as her deep religious faith has found expression through her poetry.
A lone little robin sat in a big tree
He chirruped so sadly for lonely was he
All his summer companions to the South had long flown
Now for his lost friends has thots sadder had grown
The fall days had become so bleak and so drear
And the cold days of winter would soon be here.
But Robin stilled the Guiding Voice of his heart
And in the migrating season refused to depart
The cherries that to him had tasted so good
Had long been eaten and he had no food.
Still in his beloved North he wished to stay
Not heeding the Protector who would lead him away.
Suddenly he flew high into the air
A gentle Voice warningly called to him there
It kindly guided to that Southern land
Where soon he joined his companionate band
Not he was happy, so gay and free
He quickly forgot his sad song in the tree,
And 'ere long was hack in the North to bring
His cheerful song of invigorating spring.
--Hannah Renshaw
I may stand alone, but I am not alone
As I gaze into the sky,
A power greater than my own
Does not pass me by.
There is a comfort that I know
Comes from the starlights darkened glow.
A peace of mind within me flows
From walking where the hemlock grows.
The chirping from the merry bird
Becomes a thought for cheerful word
The beauty of the blooming flower
Feeds soul living by the hour.
The cawing rooks, the rustling breeze
Lilting through the forest trees,
Are songs the poet to inspire
And fill the cup of his desire.
The silent rocks the gushing stream
Are all fragments of a dream
To walk into the milky cloud
Where dreamy reveries are allowed.
There can be no loneliness
If love comes the heart to bless,
And when you've found the one and only
There is no reason to be lonely.
--Hannah Renshaw
O tirelessly she shines his boots
And pressed all his suits,
She bakes his bread and broils his steak,
No effort is too great to make.
But can it be that in his heart
There is a greater need apart
From boots and bread, or meat and wine,
A need that could be matched with mine.
Would it suffice this I could give
A moonbeam in a silver sieve,
A phantom song, a transient gleam
To light the magic of his dream!
To tend the flame of his desire
And guard it as a temple fire,
Forgetful of his sullied boots,
Unmindful of his wrinkled suits.
No I shall yield him gallantly
To her who so surpasses me,
She will attend his ripping seams
While I could only mend his dreams
--Hannah Renshaw