Autobiography Book
1
Poetry, Short Stories, and Remembrances
from the pen of Joseph Fleming
The unfinished autobiography of Joseph Fleming from 1881 - 1939
“Examine a man’s poetry and you dissect his heart.” December 29, 1932
Forward
The enclosed verses are written solely for the private pleasure of the author who realizes that due to his limited education and poetic ability there must exist many crudities which debar them from the classification of good poetry. I would feel highly flattered and humbly appreciative if any gratified authority or even a commonplace individual found among my efforts something satisfying or inspirative but without wishing it to be construed as egotism or bravado. I desire to state that universal condemnation of the writings would not serve to make me love them less or deter future efforts along similar lines.
These are my reactions to the stimuli, influences and impressions encountered along my road in life, and right or wrong, crude or otherwise, are honest, and well meant and heartfelt. Their preservation is partially due to the perfectly human hope of some of them winning recognition and partially to the ruminant tendency of their author who likes to look back over the old years and their problems. To him many of these lines are associated with something of a personal nature and it is with no degree of shame and a considerable sense of pride that he occasionally browses over this record of the highlights of his mediocre career.
– August 12, 1934
Examine a man’s heart and you dissect his heart.
Wholly unashamed and with a considerable pride I present these humble efforts of an uncouth and uneducated individual.
-November 12, 1935
