Fond Memory of the Years

Mike Clevenger

What will they say when we are gone

to tell of the days we have known

May they never measure our worth

by our  life’s failure, to have grown

 

Pray they say that kindness was found

in a world surrounded by pain

That we had given more than took

trying our best, to not be vain

 

I wish my friends to know of me

that I see them as a treasure

The pains of our lives that we share

are the jewels, by which I measure

 

When winters cold seems to descend

from the North Winds that blow a gale

Take heart that you are not alone

then may love, lift and fill your sail

 

When the sands of life all run out

should you pass on before I go

This world will know you had a friend

as over you, my tears will flow

 

Tate

Author's Note

To all who have known the trials of a life beset with tribulation. I would just like to say the things that make life worth living are not to be found in pursuit of wealth. I never remembered anyone fondly for the station they held in life. True wealth for me is held within the hearts of those I have loved and who dared to love me. When I first wrote this piece it lacked an owner, as I waited for the one who might deserve it. Such was the case when my friend passed into memory. Mike died on my wedding anniversary February 13th 2013.
When my house caught fire Mike helped me rebuild it. He was my neighbor. Last week I buried my truck in a ditch. He came over with his tractor and pulled me home. Many times we set outside and cooked on the grill laughed and shared the stories of our painted lives. He was siding his home this summer. However he only finished half of it. So little Tate and I will help Matt his son and Matt Jr finish what my friend could not. I would just say that he left many loved ones behind. Three grandchildren in particular that adored him and a good friend, who counts him above all the rest. I dont know what Mike believed in the way of religeon. I couldn't think of any more fitting music for this piece than Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. That because Mike loved country music and was to me at least the iconic representation of Rooster Cogburn. His was the rough exterior of a man with a heart of gold. He was simply one of the finest men I ever knew, cut from the cloth of
True Grit!

Tate

Reviews

[Rikkevi Rue]

Hey Buddy, why is it that i always feel like somebody reached out and wrapped something around me when I read your poems? As if words transcend the physical universe and permeate right through my computer screen and touch me. I half way don't want to come to your page because i know i will read some new verse of yours that is so sentient, so darned real that it will barge right into my inner world and stir up a bunch of emotion and thoughts. Can't you just stay on your OWN side of the country Morgan!

Of course the poem is of high quality craft and of course the topic is contemporarily salient and of course you as usual have correctly judged your audience and of course you have evoked a major response and of course...

Why the hell do these simple, earnest voicings of yours always keep me coming back here...funny how those musings that come straight from the heart can penetrate right through any barrier whether distance, ethnic differences, educational discrepancies, geographical perspective, etc etc...

The warrior raises his sword and the poet slays him with his pen ;-)

[Tate Morgan]

To this day and through some 20,000 reviews or so I still feel this to be the most endearing I have ever received. I tip my hat to you sir in deference to your kindness.

[Mark Anthony Games (Hum..]

Fond Memory of the Years
(Review for Change the World Competition) In my personal opinion I think this is the stronger of your two entries. We cannot step away from humanity, thus despite our best individual intentions we will be judged as a collective, as a species. “Pray they say that kindness was found in a world surrounded by pain. That we had given more than took trying our best, to not be vain”. This work scored consistently throughout the seven categories. Thank you for entering this, I greatly enjoyed it which is why the highest mark for this work was in the ‘Effect’ category.

[Frieda P]

Wow Tate, this actually gave me chills. Bravo you, emotionally intense!

[Frieda P]

I seldom read the author's note as I like to get a feel for the work without any sort of prejudice, now you've made me cry!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Freida I know when i first began writing at 47 Tate hated it .He didnt want his life opened like a book.However he has come to like them as he has indeed grown along with me

[KillerWithWords]

Phenomenal piece. You really captured the pain and beauty of perseverance. If you ever speak to a marathon runner and ask them if the race is easy - they'd say no. But that's exactly why they do it. The pain holds a power. a beauty to bring people closer to each other - or together.
It is fortunate that talented individuals like yourself exist because we need you to spill forward your emotions so we can see the beauty in our tribulations.
Well done Tate!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you very much

[revalatia]

Absolutely beautiful.. It definately touched me. A lot of pain, cushioned by the happiness we had the opportunity to experience

[saunved]

I cannot find words to tell you how beautifully you weave your words and how beautifully you finish the poem! If anyone needs to learn how to tickle the heart, its from you!

[lee von cleef]

Dirt in the holes of my jeans,knees stained green,as if stains of grass grew from under my skin,still wet,but Tate you know what happens when you kneel after someone has "Parlayed " the stall,like water on the kitchen floor,ice you dropped,dishwater splashed from the sink,or the new puppy chewing your shoe?Yes youth a trap,we would like to fall back into if only we could take what we have learned with us.

[The Refined Poet]

this is certainly a touching, heartfelt poem. It does grip you and takes you on an emotional journey.

[Shimmerbliss/CAF]

I am late to come to this, so it appears all has been said previously. For me, I am deeply moved by this piece, as with your author's note.

[...]

Tate, this is soooo earthy and soulful! I loved it...as usual :)))