Hooking - Words - Together
A very dear friend of mine has a shoe box of poems that she acquired from her step father. During his life he wrote poems about family, patriotism and other subjects near and dear to him. Her stepdad's name is Voice Gunter and he lived in Litchfield Mn his entire life. Voice wasn't a flashy man but he was articulate. Matter of fact he never even owned a car as he worked in town and was able to walk to work. Upon his passing away he left his shoe box of poems with his step daughter Gerry Watt (my dear friend). It has been Gerry's intentions to get these poems published to remember Voice for the words that he put to paper.
Voice had given his works a title, "Hooking Words Together". It is an amazing title for what this book of poems represents.
Now on to the reason why I am here. Gerry is on a fixed retirement income and is unable to afford to bring this book to be published and I am determined to help get this project done for her. She thought very highly of Voice and was very close with him. The day that Voice passed away he told Gerry to take the poems and do something with them as Voice's wife would most likely just throw them out as useless trash. Voice was hoping something would be done to preserve his work.
Now a little about me. My name is Nathan Lantto and Gerry Watt is a dear friend of mine. I dont claim to be an expert in poetry, but the content of this book just tugs at your emotions and really makes you think. Matter of fact, in high school I failed english class two years in a row so it wasnt my strong suite. But after reading these poems I couldn't help but agree with Gerry that these poems need to be shared with more than just family. They are works of art.
I've contacted a book publisher to have the book published. Now we are just seeking funds to make this happen. The quotes that I have received are from the Northstar Press in Clearwater Mn. Depending on quantity the price per book goes down.
The quote is as follows:
For 100 copies of your book, the cost is $1,407.84, which is $14.08 each.
For 200 copies of your book, the cost is $1,693.28, which is $8.47 each.
For 300 copies of your book, the cost is $1,978.71, which is $6.60 each.
We would like to get 300 copies to keep the price per book at the lowest cost so we can sell to libraries and other local retail shops and keep the retail price down around $9.95 to 11.95.
The main thing we want to do is preserve the work of Voice Gunter, we are not concerned with making this a profitable endevor but we would like for it to cover its own costs.
There are over 60 poems that would be included in this publication. Below are just a couple samples of his work, the first is Titled:
JOHN KENNEDY
(Written the day he died)
Today the greatest man of all,
died by sniper fire.
A deed so dastardly, so great,
it raised the worlds ire.
With a heart so filled with kindness,
for rich and poor alike.
He ruled us all with gentleness,
not by the fist of might.
A man who fought for freedom,
we know his record well.
He brought his shipwrecked buddies in,
through wind and waves and hell.
He came to power slowly,
not by graft or greed.
Mostly for his kindness,
to those in want and need.
Few of us have met him,
and yet it just could be.
That he has stopped and talked with us,
you, and you, and me.
Throughout all his travels,
he shook the hand of man,
And never check the color,
white, or black, or red or tan.
Why should a sniper chuckle,
and we the world cry.
And wonder why a man so great,
should ever have to die.
Copywrite - Voice Gunter
This is a second one titled -
THE AMERICAN
Many, many years ago, we came and
vowed to stay,
And from the rightful owners,
this land we took away.
From far across the sea we came,
this free land for the taking,
And hearts that beat like yours and mine
were filled with fear and quaking.
With firearms and knowledge,
we sought to lay them low.
With Courage tho they fought us,
with knife of stone, and bow.
Yard by yard the fight went on,
tho earth was stained with blood.
But, we were far too many,
They could not stop the flood.
Treaties made, were broken,
by Red and White alike.
The Red man always losing,
tho he was in the right.
From Atlantic to Pacific
the bloody fight went on.
No courage were they lacking,
the warriors ever gone.
So when the pledge of peace was signed,
the Indian got his share,
Of land unfit for living,
where rocks were showing bare.
We call ourselves American,
tho foreigners we be.
The only true Amercians,
fought us from sea to sea.
Copywrite - Voice Gunter
Voice had given his works a title, "Hooking Words Together". It is an amazing title for what this book of poems represents.
Now on to the reason why I am here. Gerry is on a fixed retirement income and is unable to afford to bring this book to be published and I am determined to help get this project done for her. She thought very highly of Voice and was very close with him. The day that Voice passed away he told Gerry to take the poems and do something with them as Voice's wife would most likely just throw them out as useless trash. Voice was hoping something would be done to preserve his work.
Now a little about me. My name is Nathan Lantto and Gerry Watt is a dear friend of mine. I dont claim to be an expert in poetry, but the content of this book just tugs at your emotions and really makes you think. Matter of fact, in high school I failed english class two years in a row so it wasnt my strong suite. But after reading these poems I couldn't help but agree with Gerry that these poems need to be shared with more than just family. They are works of art.
I've contacted a book publisher to have the book published. Now we are just seeking funds to make this happen. The quotes that I have received are from the Northstar Press in Clearwater Mn. Depending on quantity the price per book goes down.
The quote is as follows:
For 100 copies of your book, the cost is $1,407.84, which is $14.08 each.
For 200 copies of your book, the cost is $1,693.28, which is $8.47 each.
For 300 copies of your book, the cost is $1,978.71, which is $6.60 each.
We would like to get 300 copies to keep the price per book at the lowest cost so we can sell to libraries and other local retail shops and keep the retail price down around $9.95 to 11.95.
The main thing we want to do is preserve the work of Voice Gunter, we are not concerned with making this a profitable endevor but we would like for it to cover its own costs.
There are over 60 poems that would be included in this publication. Below are just a couple samples of his work, the first is Titled:
JOHN KENNEDY
(Written the day he died)
Today the greatest man of all,
died by sniper fire.
A deed so dastardly, so great,
it raised the worlds ire.
With a heart so filled with kindness,
for rich and poor alike.
He ruled us all with gentleness,
not by the fist of might.
A man who fought for freedom,
we know his record well.
He brought his shipwrecked buddies in,
through wind and waves and hell.
He came to power slowly,
not by graft or greed.
Mostly for his kindness,
to those in want and need.
Few of us have met him,
and yet it just could be.
That he has stopped and talked with us,
you, and you, and me.
Throughout all his travels,
he shook the hand of man,
And never check the color,
white, or black, or red or tan.
Why should a sniper chuckle,
and we the world cry.
And wonder why a man so great,
should ever have to die.
Copywrite - Voice Gunter
This is a second one titled -
THE AMERICAN
Many, many years ago, we came and
vowed to stay,
And from the rightful owners,
this land we took away.
From far across the sea we came,
this free land for the taking,
And hearts that beat like yours and mine
were filled with fear and quaking.
With firearms and knowledge,
we sought to lay them low.
With Courage tho they fought us,
with knife of stone, and bow.
Yard by yard the fight went on,
tho earth was stained with blood.
But, we were far too many,
They could not stop the flood.
Treaties made, were broken,
by Red and White alike.
The Red man always losing,
tho he was in the right.
From Atlantic to Pacific
the bloody fight went on.
No courage were they lacking,
the warriors ever gone.
So when the pledge of peace was signed,
the Indian got his share,
Of land unfit for living,
where rocks were showing bare.
We call ourselves American,
tho foreigners we be.
The only true Amercians,
fought us from sea to sea.
Copywrite - Voice Gunter
Organizer
Nathan Lantto
Organizer
Dassel, MN