Rev. G. R. Alden – Isabella Alden

In 1876 Isabella was firmly established in her new role as editor of The Pansy magazine, although the entire enterprise was a family affair. Isabella’s husband, sister, brother-in-law, and friends all contributed articles and stories to each issue of the magazine.

Isabella’s husband, the Rev. G. R. “Ross” Alden, wrote Bible study lessons, stories, and poems for the magazine. His talent was creating lovely rhymes with messages that were meaningful for both children and adults.

Here’s one of Rev. Alden’s poems that expertly blends a message on kindness with a celebration of the first day of spring:

Image of a basket overflowing with gold, white and purple pansy flowers. Below is a poem titled "Kind Hearts."
Kind hearts are the gardens,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the blossoms,
Kind deeds are the fruits;
Love is the sweet sunshine
That warms into life,
For only in darkness
Grow hatred and strife.

You can read more of Rev. Alden’s poems in these previous posts:

Welcome, April!

September

Two of Us

Isabella’s husband, the Rev. G. R. Alden, was a prolific poet, and many of his works were published in The Pansy magazine. He was adept at sharing humorous stories, childhood memories, and Biblical truths through rhyme. In the following poem he writes about anticipating the change of seasons in a long-ago, and much simpler time.

The fields and meadows paling 
Lie ’neath the hazy sky;
The thistle-down is sailing
By zepyrs slowly by.
The stalks of stubble, bleaching
Beneath September’s sun,
Seem silently now teaching
Of rest when labor’s done.

Image of two yellow birds sitting in a bush of white and pink thistles. One bird plucks the tuft from one of the white thistles.

The goldenrod, bright gleaming 
Above the parched sod, 
Is surely sent, the seeming 
Of the golden things of God. 
The katy-dids are calling, 
In a social sort of way,  
To learn what is befalling 
The neighbor ’cross the way.

Communist like, the blackbirds 
Hold meetings every night, 
As though the world went backwards, 
And they must set it right. 
The apples fast are falling 
From heavy-laden boughs; 
The milkmaid’s faintly calling 
’Cross the meadows for the cows.

Image of a large apple tree with branches full of apples bent down to the ground.

The milking-stool is ready
Astride the barnyard gate;
The cows come slow and steady,
Like messengers of Fate.
And soon, in silence sleeping,
Master and maid and herd
Beneath God’s kindly keeping
Will rest—as on his word.

Image of some cows grazing in a flowering field while other cows stand in the shallow waters of a lake or pond.

So may this mild September,
With its pictures passing fair,
Make each of us remember
God’s mercies, rich and rare.

You can read more of Rev. Alden’s poems in these previous posts:

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