Two Poems
 (one untitled & untranslated)
 by
 John Slotemaker
(in his own handwriting with his signature)

 a John Slotemaker Poem
 which was published in the Lynden Tribune in 1918

WAR AND SICKNESS

by

John Slotemaker, Lynden


War and sickness, O how fearful,
All the world proclaims the woe,
Noise of battles, O how frightful,
Fighting, killing, to and fro.


Thrones are shaking, rulers tremble,
Kings and Kaisers find no rest;
Aid the nations seem to gamble
For the price they think the best.


Many, many hearts are weeping
About the dear one 'cross the sea,
For true love is never sleeping
It cries to God on bended knee.


But though we deeply feel astonished
And don't know what to say -
This we know: God came and punished,
He alone rules night and day.


O, listen to the voice of God,
He smites the human race!
Come, sinner, come and kiss the rod,
O, flee to the throne of Grace.

Let's try and give the benefit of the doubt here and assume that something gets lost in the translation from Dutch to English...

John Slotemaker's granddaughter Eleanor wrote about his poetry....

And we have aquired more John Slotemaker poetry, an ode to Adam and Eve and an ode to the Wedding of John and Fannie...