They Don't Make Those Men Anymore

Elmer Conrad

The day started as many do

I ran up the hill of the grounds

I'd leapt from bed, in fear and dread

that I would be late to the Downs

We had so many horses then

thirty one as I now recall

Only two men, to jog back then

 rushed to finish before the squall

 

We had six horses in that night

each hurried to finish in time

We'd bathed them all, cleaned each ones stall

life was hard back then in my prime

The rain was roiling from the west

black clouds had portended a storm

All were ready, stout and steady

for us this was just the norm

 

On that night between the races

I spoke with an old friend of mine

His the mystique, the most unique

of any horsemen you could find

His dad named him Elmer Conrad

he was a product of the old school

At eighty four, or maybe more

this young man thought he was so cool

 

As the oldest racing driver

I must admit he held great sway

In him I'd found, a lonesome sound

as he'd outlived all from his day

One night Elmer was in a wreck

his temper puffed a powder keg

There on the ground, a cracking sound

he lay picking bones from his leg

 

But this night he drove his rig home

it was late and the roads were wet

He'd had bad luck, and wrecked the truck

I'm sure he blew it off, "no sweat"

That was the last I saw of him

someone thought him too old to drive

With no great ease, took Elmer's keys

and with that his desire to thrive

Elmer hung himself in the barn

beside the home family owned

Looking back now, I wonder how

any of us could have atoned 

 Next day I heard my hero died

where-bye we'd lost a man so great

Scrawled on a note, that he had wrote

"I am the Master of my Fate"

 

He treated me as if his own

and for that I honor him too

By eighty four, he had done more

than any man I had ever knew

He was the last great gentleman

I had known of four and four score

There died our best, eternal rest

they don't make those men anymore

Author's Note

Men like Elmer led their lives by a code unlike the average man. Elmer Conrad was such a part of the track his was the template from which we were all created. He was the constitution and conscience of us all. The old ones respected him. But I admired him. The secrets he had learned followed him to the grave, as did our feelings and admiration for his spirit. As a young man I felt a little poorer for the loss of such a spirit. He had been the guest on the Carson show the year before as the oldest living driver. I remember watching him and thinking he is so cool!
I am not one who believes that finishing third is winning. I think we do our children a disservice by awarding them trophies for participation. It is the truth of life that excellence is the key to success. Life is meant to be hard. I use to look at Elmer and knew from the tip of his hat to me that he approved. He watched me work night and day. He saw with what deference I paid homage to my own father and in me I hoped he had found something of himself and the times that led to the man I so admired. He was one of a kind.
May God Rest His Soul

Reviews

[Brother Rooster]

Holy moley. Jeewhizz. Jaw dropping. This poem is like being hit by giant hammer through a pillow. It took my breath away. The imagery, the sense of nostalgia. This is so far my fav Tate Morgan work. It's inspiring in its briliance. You should be out there, Tate. Your works touches people and...well...you should be on the cover of TIME. Great. Really great.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you rooster

[Muse]

What makes your writings truly unique?

Over-time, the readers and I on the cafe have had the ability to embrace your past...know you in the present, and embrace your dreams for the future. Your poems tell a story..always have, and becuase of the way you write..it always will. It's understood how close this hobby was to your heart, and the people who shared that love of racing with you, they must have been like family. What a lovely tribute to a fellow "soul" that cherished your world as much as you did.

[Dayran]

Every such encounter reminds us of the resilience of the human spirit and its will to face up to its destiny. We are reminded of the days when the legends speak of horses as the symbol of the motion of the world. Elmer reminds us of such.

[Bridget Mcmaken]

Wonderful tribute tate. Sad but great! You did another wonderful job, so amazing.
~Bridget~

[Michael G.]

The great of the greats, no matter in what regard or on what level, are the ones that are always remembered. As well they should. Not for how they ended; but, for how they did live.
You told this well, Tate and gave justice to the tribute.

[Leslie Philibert]

A fine tribute to your friend, written with great style...

[TPK Stories]

Great tribute!

[Kristallo]

Elmer sounds like a great and noble man, he knew his purpose in the world and he was admirable in achieving it. Your tribute poem to his legacy was most excellently penned, and I found myself so enraptured in the skill and expert finesse of your story.... this is so well penned, Tate, I am truly enamored by your fine gift of story telling. Stunning write, it was an honor to read.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

As always Tate you set out a well painted and eloquent tribute in verse

[Devanshu Rajput]

only one word...................Awesome

[Rogue]

That you both respected and admired him comes through clearly in this piece. He sounds like he was an interesting man that led quite a life.

Very nice tribute to an old friend. :)