Anna "Maxine" Holt Leak Indianapolis, Indiana

My name is Anna Maxine Holt Leak. My parents are Allen Leroy Holt and Leah Victoria Barber Holt (Deceased). I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers. I married Ralph Bauer Leak in 1968. He had 3 grown daughters and 9 grandchildren. Since that time, we have acquired 13 great - grandchildren. I was employed by the National Headquarters of The American Legion in Indianapolis, for 43 1/2 years and retired in 1990. I wrote many poems for them in that time ... birthday, retirement, etc. You name it, I wrote it. My great love is writing religious poems, however. I graduated from High School in Indiana in 1946 and attended a business school for one year. I am a member of Victory Memorial United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, a Sunday School teacher and director of the chancel choir. I belong to that church, United Methodist Women and American Legion Auxiliary. My hobbies are writing poetry, crocheting, quilting, and reading. I also do volunteer work at the Fletcher Place Community Center which is a food pantry and used clothing store run by the United Methodist Church. Also, for several years I have been working on my family tree and have traced some of my roots back to my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather who came from Sligo Co., Ireland in 1735. It has been very interesting and I hope to be able to complete it within the next few months. I try to never break a promise and never deliberately hurt someone.

Thank You Father Thank you Father for each hot summer day, for falling rain or the sun's golden rays; For skies azure blue with fleecy white clouds, why it makes me feel like singing out loud. Thank you for autumn leaves, red, gold and brown, that cling so tightly when fall to the ground; For the sky full of birds that wing their way south, and scampering squirrels with nuts in their mouths. Thank you for winter after all has been sown and reaped, and mother earth has fallen into a deep and lonely sleep, When through long winter days and cold blustery nights, she is covered with a blanket so soft, still and white. Thank you for spring when buds burst from the earth, shooting forth in royal splendor in a show of new birth. Telling us that those who died can emerge from death's gloom, if they have accepted the one who came forth from the tomb.

The Pilgrim's Thanksgiving Prayer Father, as we bow before Thee, please hear us as we pray. We ask Thee for thy blessing on this thanksgiving day. We thank Thee for daily bread; for this table before us spread; For family and friends who gather here, we ask Thee to be very near. We thank Thee for the sun and rain, and for this harvest of golden grain; For strength to till Thy fertile land, for mighty trees, like sentinels stand. We have wonderous visions, Father, builder of all creation, Of a land that stretches far beyond, Help us build a mighty nation. May we ever look to Thee, Father, as our Ruler in every way, And may we ever keep in our hearts, the spirit of this thanksgiving day.

The Robe If I touch the robe He's wearing, I will be made whole and clean, was the thought of that blessed woman, as the crowds pressed in between. Blessed art thou, said the Master, as she said, Lord, it was I, that reached out in faith and touched thee, and was healed as you passed by.

All poems Copyright © 1996 Anna "Maxine" Holt Leak. All rights reserved.