Dear Friends,
It is good to meet with you in this medium. I hardly know what to say, because I am not sure to whom I am writing.
But by the way of introduction, I am Kenneth Fannin and my wife is Carol.
This planet has been my home for 73 years, and my wife is — shall we say, younger. I have been in Cullman County well over half my life, and I don’t know of a better place to live.
My wife and I have four children, their spouses, and ten grandchildren. We are members of Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church in Cullman, and we along with the rest of our family, love to attend and try to sing at Sacred Harp (better known as “Fa, Sol, La”) singings.
I can’t say I’m any wiser than when I was 12, but I have tasted a lot of life. It has both knocked me down and lifted me up. All in all life has been wonderful – better than I deserve.
When I hear form some of the other well preserved citizens, I will know better in what vein to write.
Thanks for listening
Kenneth FanninI could only write a verse,
Be it better, be it worse,
Perhaps about this lovely day,
Or a place so far away.
Or if I could take grief as my theme,
Or happiness on the extreme;
Both good and bad do much abound;
Either one can now be found.
I’d love to sing with notes so sweet,
Your heavy heart with music greet;
Or melancholy fill the air,
And we could weep together there.
But if I could a poem bring
And make your lonely heart to sing,
Maybe I’d find my mission now
Would be to soothe the troubled brow.
Kenneth W. Fannin
October, 1999
Here it is already June:
Did you expect it quite this soon?
March, April, May have come and gone,
But old man time just marches on.
We look forward to the Spring
For all the loveliness it brings,
But once it’s here it whisks away:
O if it could only stay!
But June’s a goodly season, too;
It holds a lot for me and you;
And I must say I’m glad it’s here:
Another favorite time of year.
So, dear reader, let us find
A very happy state of mind
Whatever season comes along,
Whatever theme may be its song.
Kenneth W. Fannin
June 1995
