Daniel W. Hayward

Otoe, Nebraska, USA 

Daniel W. Hayward was born June 3, 1946, in Clinton, Indiana, to John and Martha Hayward. He and his wife Betty have four children, Jeanne R., Benny E., Betty L. and Mildred J. Hayward. He also has two grandchildren, Sabrina Ann and Jenny Ann. Daniel attended Clinton Elementary School until the 8th grade when he quit because he had to go to work. He loves to write poetry because of the beauty and the relaxation that helps him cope with the everyday pressures of life. Daniel has written nine songs that have made it to Nashville which he is hoping to have recorded. Daniel has received two Editor's Choice Awards from the National Library of Poetry of which he states "mean a lot to me".

As I sat at home all alone
With nothing to do
My mind began to wander
Through time and space.

It took me to the most beautiful place
You could ever imagine
With trees all so tall
And flowers more beautiful
Than you have ever seen
That went on and on for miles
Just like the river Nile.

It was all so beautiful and real to me
That it was hard to believe
That it was just a dream.

Oh, God I ask you what is our world
coming to when our youth are with
fear of attending school because of
some fool that might gun them down
in the street without a reason or
anything to gain?

Oh, what a strain it must be on our
youth of today. I wish, Lord, that you
could grant me the serenity to change
the things that I can't, and give me the
courage to face this modern-day outlaw
that strikes fear in the youth of today
and end this needless shedding of innocent
blood. This I pray to you, God, each and every
newborn day.

Amen.

I had a vision of living in a world
without hate or war, no one dying
or widows crying or children weeping
because they were hungry.

Oh, what a sight it was to see children
laughing and playing without any cares
at all,
and people were smiling and talking to
one another without fussin' or fightin'
and skin color was of no importance. They
all seem to be as one.
There was no anger or hate to spoil this
union that seemed so perfect.

Could this be a vision from God of things
that might be, in this vision of mine?