Old Man

Where grass and bending flowers Grew once like the weeds The field empty and barren For lack of sowing seeds

 

The old gray man alone now

attends to his dusty fields

Watering the emptiness

where the land no longer yields

______________________________

He wove his web of fashions

from the tears his pains had sprung

Where once he sang of starlight

back when both their hearts were young

______________________________

Then came the winds a-calling

turned to run a-hoping sure

To reach where she was lying

 sharing pains they'd both endure

_____________________________

The gales did blow around him

precious memories, he'd miss

Drops would fall upon his lips

those that hers would never kiss

______________________________

Where grass and bending flowers 

grew together like the weeds

Lie meadows all but barren

for the lack of sowing seeds

______________________________

The blushing, blowing Poppies

that once grew all around near

Fill the fields with memories

of the love he once lost here

______________________________

Each time he treads on his land

howling, sow-west winds a-blow

Not belonging, feels the longing

 mercy only God may know

Author's Note

I knew a man like this once. His life all but lived. He patiently waited for the end.Which wasn't long in coming. Children give us the legacy that makes the bitterness of our short life more tolerable

Reviews

[Devanshu Rajput]

This is one of the finest piece of poetry that, that I ever came across on this earth. What, flabbergasts me is not only the structure, but the story, that touches my heart.

This masterpiece is like nothing. Your note, deeply moved me. Indeed, kindness and humanity is something that can be felt, by everyone. In a nutshell,

"Compassion is an universal language''

Thanks, for bringing to fore this, piece.

Devanshu

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Dev I thought i had responded to this from you I see i havent.

[Devanshu Rajput]

I'm glad you responded late, because this way, I got to read your piece again.

You're welcome. Take care.

Devanshu

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you young man

[Chris Shaw]

Always a delight to read you Tate. Your work is of a consistently high quality and this piece is no exception. A sad tale related here in superb form wonderful imagery, that leaves a lump in the throat. All the best.

Chris

[Tate Morgan]

Thanks Chris. I spent five years tossing this one around. Writing and rewriting it

[Kent Rawski]

This is a powerful piece a moving piece of life caught on the canvas of a changing background called life which one has to deal with. Great piece of work(art)

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Kent. Life doesn’t deal all of us the same Hand.

[Shineheemi]

i really love the way you express yourself on your poem, i cant explain. i salute you!

[Tate Morgan]

thank you Shineheemi I appreciate that

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I just came because of the title. I thought it might be about me! (laughing) I like the analogy of fields and life, crops and children, etc. In my years I've buried more than a few friends, both my parents and a brother that I dearly loved. But, also in my life, I've made new friends and my first daughter was born the same year my dad died. My last daughter was born the same day my brother died. So I've never really had time to grieve. Life required that I attend the living and not the dead. Children are not only a source of joy but they give us purpose...they require our attention. So perhaps the good Lord knows I'm not made for grieving. Perhaps He gave me children to confront that very possibility. Anyway, I enjoyed the read, Tate.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Fabian I am in total agreement with you. Children give us a purpose

[Raj Sahu]

It is a lovely, lovely tale you composed. I like the very rhymes and the flow of the poem. The portrait of old man you drew was too real. Amazing work!
Thank you.
Hearty Congratulations!!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Raj It was my pleasure

[paperfox]

Staggeringly beautiful man! ... I think that shortness of life makes everything we have that's good in this world infinitely more precious.
We are walking in paradise. And the very 2nd we collectively wake up to it ... well, look at that. You got me rambling like a fool.
I blame your poetry lol
I'll read it again from time to time, it's what I do. I wouldn't listen to a great song just the once. And I love poetry more than music :)

[Tate Morgan]

I see them as one in the same it is why I use metered rhyme. It is the long last narrative that we recall upon hearing the fading melody. Poetry can say more in a quatrain than prose in a page. It is a condenced version of an intense emotion

[paperfox]

I prefer poetry because it leaves it all down to my own imagination. But music is still up there. I can sit for hours singing simple songs on the sofa or listening to dem real artists ... music is like the sun ... poetry is like the stars that kiss the sun ... or sum fing like that.
Ya see ... I'm just a lowly commoner. Fluent in utter drivel lol

[Tate Morgan]

LOl yeah we will get along you and i I am a firm believer in making poetry as short as possible Often i trim mine to the very minimum It is important that the emotion rendered be let go as quickly as it is created. Ill show you what i mean This started out 8 quatrains long I pared it to its essence of only three quatrains Loves Refrain http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/aristate/445577/

[Alfred Kukitz]

Thank you Tate for a tender, heartfelt tale. You have mezmorized this reader!

Regards,
Al

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Al I am sorry this took so long to respond to My father passed away and I have not been myself of late

[Alfred Kukitz]

My sympathies Tate.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Alfred

[B]

Oh my
I have no words

I am sorry i am supposed to write something

But i have no words

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you so often we see the old and broken as something we as a society do not treasure this is why children are so important they give us a reason to continue long after the original love has died

[B]

i love old people
I spent most of my life in the company of an old grandma, grandpa and often i would visit the elderly in a hospital or a home

I do not enjoy the company of young people besides kids
I seldom feel engaged

[Tate Morgan]

I love both I had a great great grandmother live to 102 smoked cigars drank cussed and gambled all her days born in 1878

[B]

lol ..... waw
She sounds like a very interesting one lol

[Tate Morgan]

Oh yeah this was her http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/aristate/1054001/

[JayceeC]

I often wonder how life would be if you outlived all your loved ones. This sad and lonely man with his barren fields and barren life bring thst thought back. Bitterness generally grows and flourishes like the weeds. As we grow older, separation seems to be even harder on the soul. Have you ever noticed how soon one spouce dies after the other if they are old? This is lovely and you should be proud of this finished product.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you I agree it is often the case that those who have been together for a lifetime cannot survive long without each other. Sad I know but somehow comforting in the thought that love endured until the grave.Thank you for the compliment

[Christopher Vivian]

I can feel the work and rework in this one, a very emotive story Tate, however long it took, it was well worth it to persist with this deeply reflective work. Your persistence paid off with a poem to be proud of. Chris P

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Chris I tortured myself over this one. Never quite right I would fuss over it hour after hour year after year I finally think I finished it

[Christopher Vivian]

You did well, I have quite a few I'm still mulling over. Hope I can give them life as you have here. Cheers Chris P

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Chris