The following poem was published in "Cornucopia" and was awarded first prize in the National Poetry Contest of 1953:

Sitting upon the shores of a restless sea,
I watch a gorgeous sunset in the sky
Slowly sink towards the horizon,
The many brilliant colors widening
In an ever-increasing arc of beauty;
Blending in a glory of iridescent hues,
Yellow, purple, red, all mingle there
Reaching toward the distant ocean rim.

Until, at length, the last of setting sun
has disappeared from human view;
But, riotous splendor of rainbow tints
Will linger on awhile, then slowy fade;
Yet, on my soul and memory, like camera lens,
Is photographed the beauty I have seen,
To give me greater joy in future years.


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My English Home

The little town where I was born
Is many miles away;
A quaint old place, with old mill race,
Where windmills dot the way.

A river flowing peacefully
Past meadows lush and green;
Where oak and birch grow near a church
And weeping willows lean.

An old stone bridge the river spans,
Built centuries ago;
Beneath it boats and barges float,
With commerce, to and fro.

A watering place where cattle went
To quench their thirst each day;
A May-Pole near the swimming hole
Where children used to play.

A thicket, and the shady lanes,
Where lovers used to roam;
Still, in my dreams, to me it seems
I see my English home.

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Alone in a Foreign Land

I sit in a pleasant place,
Green fields on every side;
I'm thinking of your face
Across the ocean wide.
What though the scene if fair,
Or beautiful and grand;
My darling is not there,
I'm alone in a foreign land.

A few short weeks ago
I left old England's shore;
For full well did I know
That we were getting poor.
And so, I said good-bye,
And shook each friendly hand;
Then sailed away to try
My luck in a foreign land.

My heart it years for thee,
My wife, my own sweet Nell;
I crave again to see
The face I love so well.
I long each child to see,
And touch each little hand;
Alas I still alone must be,
Out here in a foreign land.

Alone, but not for long,
For soon you'll come to me.
I'll sing a joyful song,
The week you cross the sea.
Then, reunited once again,
We'll wander hand in hand,
O'er greensward field and shady lane,
Content, in a foreign land.

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Absent Loved Ones

I used to have a loving wife
To share my home with me;
But now I lead a lonely life,
For she's across the sea.

I used to have some children dear,
I loved to watch them play;
Their voice no longer can I hear,
Three thousand miles away.

But soon my wife and children dear,
Will be again with me;
For soon they'll sail to join me here
Across the deep blue sea.

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Booklet of original poems titled WISE AND OTHERWISE by William G. Walton
several poems published in Cornucopia, Free Methodist, Scimitar and Song, and in The Lakeview News.

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William G. Walton Died;
Local Tailor and Poet
dated 10-26-1961 / Battle Creek Enquirer

William G. Walton, 87, of 239 Ave. C, a retired Battle Creek tailor and poet died Thursday afternoon in a local hospital where he had been a patient for two weeks. 

He brought his family here from England in 1906 after having operated his own tailoring buiness there for about 12 years.  He was first employed here by Will H. Spink and for more than 17 years was in charge of alternations for the Battle Creek Cleaning Company.  He once had his own custom tailor shop here and later joined the Roy Henry tailor shop.

Wrote 1,000 Poems

Mr. Walton's poems were first published in his native city of St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, England.  He was the author of nearly 1,000 poems and once won a first prize from the Poetry Association of Michigan.  As a young man in England, he was a member of the Episcopal Church choir and later sang here in the St. Thomas Episcopal Church choir from 1910 to 1919.  

As a student in England he was a soccer player, a track man and a member of a rowing team. 

Mr. Walton was born May 20, 1874 and was married 70 years ago last Oct. 3.  His wife, the former Eleanor E. Barnes, survives.  Their four children, all born in England, are John B. of 212 Surby Ave., Mrs. John (Ethel) Huff of San Diego, Calif., Mrs. George (Annie) Gilchrist of Kalamazoo and Richard G. of 145 Honey lane.  There are nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Township Official

In political life, Mr. Walton served as justice of the peace and as treasurer in Battle Creek Township.  He was a member of Battle Creek Lodge No. 12 F&AM, Battle Creek Chapter no. 19 Royal Arch Masons and Chapter No. 24 of the White Shrine of Jerusalem.