Remember Me

My own self portrait

Remember me as I was then

not like you see me now

The laughing carefree way I stood

too towered and taught to bow

 

The happy young man you once knew

who's eye's were clear and bright

Played together each day in the sun

danced alone in the soft moonlight

 

Rather you see what I was then

than what I have become today

A warm heart who loved you so

with the strength of fire to play

 

When April swells the marshes

the red winged birds will know

To pipe these two words lightly

to all the winds that blow

 

The trembling stars of the night

once bold bright shining too

Turn their heads from me now

as I do now from you

 

Author's Note

Wondering how I wish to be remembered

Reviews

[Epipsychologist]

This is beautiful.
Also I like that many of your poems are compact enough I can read them, get something out of them, and not feel bad for interrupting my homework.

Also, I'm going to drop this related Byron poem.
"They say that hope is happiness,
But genuine love must prize the past,
And mem'ry wakes the thoughts that bless,
They rose the first, they set the last,

And all that memory loves the most,
Was once our only hope to be,
And all that Love adored and Lost,
Hath faded into memory.

Alas! It is delusion all!
The Future cheats us from afar,
Nor can we be what we recall,
Nor dare we think on what we are..."

Except I added the dot-dot-dots, because I feel like that's how he would've let the moment land.

[Tate Morgan]

Did I ever thank you for this? If not I do now.

[Dara]

I love the dreamlike flow of your poem and the self portrait is stunning. Has anyone told you that you resembled Warren Beatty in his younger days? It is not easy watching ourselves age. Whoever coined the phrase “to grow old gracefully” must have been relatively young. Not sure how graceful I manage to be these days. ;-)

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Dara thank you . Age will ravage my vanity LOL

[Tate Morgan]

By the way thank you for the compliment on the self-portrait

[Crowley]

We change, that's for sure, and usually for the better as we age I think. Its the understanding in light of experience that pulls it out. This was eloquent, heartening and somber all in the same pen. Great writing Tate!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you so much Crowley it’s always nice to hear from you

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

thanks fpr entering why i write competition. thanks so much beautiful poem and music and pics

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Julie

[TPK Stories]

I wonder the same too how I will be remembered as well, I love the poem written by Michael Landon in an episode of Little House on the Prairie "Remember Me", for which Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls Wilder) read at Michael Landon's funeral,

"Remember me
With smiles and laughter
For that is how I will remember you all
If you can only remember me with tears
Then don't remember me at all".

[Tate Morgan]

You know when my own father died we had a party for him and no tears it was the best funeral i ever went to We poured his ashes across the race track that was his life thank you

[Gee]

Yes, remember me at my best.....many that I have watched age with illness as a companion could quite easily have had this tattooed on their bodies.
So simple yet oozing class

[Tate Morgan]

Many thanks to you Gee Smiles too

[TigerSpirit]

Truly beautiful and very well written

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you carol thank you so much

[TigerSpirit]

You're most welcome :)

[Penny]

Reminds of two things... One, a story I once wrote and two, something my friend said about me when we met after a year. Amazing write as always, thought provoking, precise and clear.

[Tate Morgan]

Very nice to hear from you penny thank you as always we all want to be remembered fondly and not for our worst

[Penny]

I agree. It has totally been my pleasure.

[Tate Morgan]

Smiles abound thank you so much

[Renée]

Richie Havens..nice touch... to your sweet thoughtful write ( :

[Tate Morgan]

Thanks I always liked Richie he was so unique

[Renée]

yeah.. ( :

[SyberRose]

When April swells the marshes
the red winged birds will know
To pipe these two words lightly
to all the winds that blow

Lovely poem Tate and the sketch looks just like your photo...enjoyed and hope you are on your way to recovering from your illness...Rose:)

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Rose thank you so much