Originals of Nellie's Poems

All of the poems of Nellie Irene Bates Thomas have been preserved in their original form. Most were handwritten in pencil on odd pieces of paper. Some were typed. A few were published.

Scans of the originals are here. They are listed by topical sections. The scans have been saved as PDF files, which will open when clicked on. Some of these files are large and may take a while to load on your computer.

A - Autobiographical
     07a - A brief history of my life (page 1)
     07b - A brief history of my life (page 2)
     07c - A brief history of my life (page 3)
     07d - A brief history of my life (page 4)
     21   - I thank thee
     34a - My birthday
     34b - My birthday
     34c - My birthday
     42a - My thanks
     42b - My thanks
     42  -  My thanks (envelope)
     43a - Nellie and her blanket
     43b - Nellie and her blanket
     43c - Nellie and her blanket
     43 -   Nellie and her blanket (typed)
     68a - Talk about surprises
     68b - Talk about surprises
    
68c - Talk about surprises
     87  -  I dedicate this little book

B - Birthdays
     02a - Another glad milestone
     02b - Another glad milestone
     04 -   Beautiful babe
     05 -   A birthday
     10 -   Contentment
     11a -  Dear Ralph
     11b -  Dear Ralph
     11 -    Dear Ralph (typed)
     12a -  Dear friend
     12b -  Dear friend
     15a -  Five years old today
     15b -  Five years old today
     15 -    Five years old today (typed)
     26 -    Jack’s birthday wishes
     50a -  Our baby
     50b -  Our baby
     55 -    A problem
     71a -  My son, John
     71b -  My son, John
     80a -  Welcome little stranger
     80b -  Welcome little stranger (typed)
     81 -    Welcome J.D.
     94a -  Little Jackies lament
     94b -  Little Jackies lament (typed)

C - Anniversaries
     09a - Congratulations
     09b - Congratulations
     25a - It’s thirty-four years
     25b - It’s thirty-four years
     25c - It’s thirty-four years
     57a - A reminiscent
     57b - A reminiscent
     57 -   A reminiscent (newspaper)
     59a - Ring out, wedding bells
     59b - Ring out, wedding bells
     59 -   Ring out, wedding bells (typed)
     60a - A reminiscence (cover)
     60b - A reminiscence
     60c - A reminiscence
     63a - Sixty years of married life
     63b - Sixty years of married life
     63c - Sixty years of married life
     63d - Sixty years of married life

D - Family
     13a - Dearest granddaughter Geraldine
     13b - Dearest granddaughter Geraldine
     13c - Dearest granddaughter Geraldine
     13d - Dearest granddaughter Geraldine
     13e - Dearest granddaughter Geraldine
     36a - My dear granddaughter
     36b - My dear granddaughter
     36c - My dear granddaughter
     36d - My dear granddaughter
     36 -   My dear granddaughter (envelope)
     52a - Our home lodge family
     52b - Our home lodge family
     52c - Our home lodge family
     52d - Our home lodge family
     52a - Our home lodge family (typed)
     52b - Our home lodge family (typed)
     61 -   A school episode
     84a - Yes, the house on the homestead
     84b - Yes, the house on the homestead
     93a - My dear Kate
     93b - My dear Kate
     93c - My dear Kate
     93d - My dear Kate
     93e - My dear Kate
     93f - My dear Kate
     93g - My dear Kate

E - Friends
     23a - A letter written to a friend
     23b - A letter written to a friend
     23c - A letter written to a friend
     24a - I wonder who he is
     24b - I wonder who he is
     47 -  Ode to the doctor
     49a - Our community sing
     49b - Our community sing
     49c - Our community sing
     71a - Tom Brenneman
     71b - Tom Brenneman
     71c - Tom Brenneman
     74 -   The travelers
     86 -   If you need something

F - Religion
     03 -  The answer
     08a - Christmas everywhere
     08b - Christmas everywhere (typed)
     28 -   The legend of the merrygold
     29a - The little primitive church
     29b - The little primitive church
     29c - The little primitive church
     29d - The little primitive church
     29e - The little primitive church
     29f - The little primitive church
     29g - The little primitive church
     29h - The little primitive church (typed)
     29i -  The little primitive church (typed)
     33 -   A morning prayer
     37a - My Easter offering
     37b - My Easter offering
     37c - My Easter offering
     37d - My Easter offering
     38a - My faith
     38b - My faith (typed)
     40 -   My mites
     54a - Our shepherd
     54b - Our shepherd
     54c - Our shepherd
     54d - Our shepherd (letter)
     58a - A reverie
     58b - A reverie
     65a - A soliloquy
     65b - A soliloquy
     65c - A soliloquy
     65 -  A soliloquy (typed)
     77 -  A verse for the infant department
     82a - Welcome, thrice welcome
     82b - Welcome, thrice welcome
     85a - Dedication of the church house
     85b - Dedication of the church house
     85c - Dedication of the church house (with markings)
     85d - Dedication of the church house (with markings)
     88a - A few questions on Bible characters
     88b - A few questions on Bible characters
     88c - A few questions on Bible characters
     88d - A few questions on Bible characters
     88e - A few questions on Bible characters
     88f - A few questions on Bible characters
     91a - I belong to the ladies aid
     91b - I belong to the ladies aid
     91c - I belong to the ladies aid
     91d - I belong to the ladies aid

G - Places
     17 -  Good bye to the rock
     30 -  Ma goes to Florida
     32a - Our Michigan
     32b - Our Michigan (typed)
     32c - Our Michigan (typed)
     46a - Ode to our state
     46b - Ode to our state (i.e., My Michigan)
     51a - Our Bay View sunsets
     51b - Our Bay View sunsets (in Bay View Bulletin)
     75a - A triple city lyric
     75b - A triple city lyric
     78a - We love our own fair Michigan
     78b - We love our own fair Michigan
     92 -   The sleigh ride

H - Things
     14 -  The evolution of the apron
     18 -  Grandmother’s chair
     19 -  Heart-room
     39 -  My first lesson
     41a - My mocking bird
     41b - My mocking bird
     41c - My mocking bird (newspaper)
     44 -   October
     48a -  Old faithful
     48b -  Old faithful
     48c -  Old faithful
     48 -    Old faithful (typed)
     69 -    The tangerine

I - Opinions
     06 -  A bit of advice
     20 -  A friendly greeting
     22a - I protest (typed, signed)
     22b - I protest (single spaced typed)
     22c - I protest (double spaced typed)
     31a - A memory, the outcast
     31b - A memory, the outcast
     45 -   An ode to mothers
     56a - The problem
     56b - The problem
     56c - The problem (typed)
     64 -   The soldier’s battle song
     66 -   Starting into high school
     73 -   Campaign against tongue
     76 -   An unasked advice
     79a - The privilege of being a great grandmother
     79b - The privilege of being a great grandmother
     79c - The privilege of being a great grandmother
     79d - The privilege of being a great grandmother
     79e - The privilege of being a great grandmother (back)
     83a - With apologies to newlyweds
     83b - With apologies to newlyweds
     83c - With apologies to newlyweds
     95 -   St. Patrick’s day

Suggestions for corrections and improvements are always welcome.

Patricia I. O'Brien Hellmers
pat_hellmers @ yahoo.com

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