Character

Tommy Persinger a man of Character.

Tommy Persinger

What makes of a man's character

are built of actions on life's field

Not from the size of his body

nor of the power that it may wield

 

Who can say they do not cherish

the idol of their childhood dream

Where they built for them an altar

from which their tiny heart then beamed

 

The traits that we adore in them

what we all wish that we could be

Sown from seeds of imperfection

and that handsome humility

 

Rising again time after time

drawing on the strength all but gone

But oh what lofty heights indeed

for us to place our laurels on

 

Author's Note

My son Tate and Daughter Aris lost their grandfather Tommy yesterday. He was a mans man. My son would come home from helping his grandpa work blistered and exhausted. Look at me and say" It's embarrassing I am in my prime and my grandfather can out work me. What is that old man made of?" He will live on in our collective memories as a man of Character.

Reviews

[Chris]

True words and deeply felt...

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Chris thank you for stopping by. And the kindness

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Men like Tommy are rare and getting fewer by the day. Your poem is a lovely homage and testament to his admirable character.

[Tate Morgan]

Linda thank you. I agree they don’t make those men anymore

[Christine Anne Shaw]

A fine tribute to your children's grandfather. You have penned a fine poem here Tate. Your final two lines tell me how highly thought of and the type of man he was. One to look up to.

Chris

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you. The accompanying Entourage to the funeral was over 3 miles long

[Fran Marie]

So sorry for your lost Tate..the likeness is uncanny ..you look amazingly like him..he sounds like a man of strong character indeed..a fine tribute you have written here..

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Fran he was a kind soul I tried to make his passing as comfortable as possible

[Fran Marie]

So vey welcome dear friend;

[jacob erin-cilberto]

great song to accompany this tribute to your dad....I lost mine recently, as well, and i looked up to him in so many ways...we were different, but parts of me emulated him...Saw his character just like you did with your dad.
wonderful poem, Tate,
j.

[Tate Morgan]

Jacob he was my father in law my sins grandfather on his mother’s side and my friend

[jacob erin-cilberto]

sorry....my mistake...still it was a beautiful tribute to him...and i feel for your loss...

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you no apology needed He was a great man

[Robert Trakofler (Bad B..]

One summer I worked for a terrazzo &marble company I was young and thought I was strong especially when the company owner said all of the workers were over 70 and he wanted my help to give them a break! the level of tired and exhaustion I felt after working with these old men has never been replicated since!:) all Italian immigrants that came from marble cutting families and worked from the time they were children! I had new meaning to the word character after that summer sounds like he would of gotten along swimmingly with that crew!!!!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Robert. I haven’t been on the last couple days events of my life have taken precedence. I’ll try to rectify the situation and I thank you again. It is true many of those who made a living with their hands in their mind I haven’t been on the last couple days events of my life have taken precedence. I’ll try to rectify the situation and I thank you again. It is true many of those who made a living with their hands Give us a look into a time when we would have been considered in adequate.

[MomzillaNC]

Lovely. My Grandpa Jack was such a man. He passed in 2008, but he still remains a driving influence on my life. He was a man of strength, compassion, and great kindness.

[Tate Morgan]

Would that all man could be known for those traits.

[MomzillaNC]

We can only hope to raise men of the future to aspire to such traits. That's been my goal in my son.

[Tate Morgan]

Mine as well

[Kelly Scheppers]

I was raised to believe that a grandparent is the true foundation of a family. That's why the time we have with them is so important, so that we absorb their knowledge and wisdom, and have it always with us on days when the world is cold and time is ever fleeting. I lost my grandfather back in '87, and I can still remember with absolute clarity the stories he would tell us as we gathered 'round the table every Thanksgiving day and listen to him speak about the war, and how times were different when he was a child.

A most evocative piece you have written here, Tate. I especially loved your last verse. Wishing you and your family eternal peace.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you tommy was my sons grandfather my father in law when I was married to his daughter. However strangely enough I do not follow the maxim that when a person gets divorced they divorced family as well. While I did divorce his daughter I kept her family. And I sure miss him dearly. His older brother was my best friend for 46 years. It was through him that I met tommy and subsequently eventually married his daughter. I wanted so much to be a part of that family. So that when I had my son Tate it fulfilled more than one dream of mine.

[Einstein Noodle]

i am so sorry for the loss to your family Tate ..he must have been all that and your tribute to character and him is well done says i .. i especially like how the seeds of his character began with his own childhood idols .. such a deep reflective thought ... you opened a new door to me with that one sir! great picture of him as well .. again .. heartfelt condolences to all dear friend

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you gene I’m losing too many friends

[Einstein Noodle]

yeah ... its that time isn't it :( but their memories carry on with us .. until its our turn

[Tate Morgan]

Yep My own father died just around this date into thousand 15. Since I joined a café I’ve probably lost 15 friends

[Einstein Noodle]

:( .............