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.

[hcarson]

aww excellent poem and tribute to someone you clearly thought the world of. He soundded like a wonderful person and I'm sorry to hear of your loss, however your poetry was perfect and hit just the right note for me as a reader. your authors note at the end was also a loovely tribute to him, telling us of what a good person he was and how many people his passing has affected. it is extremy sad and i hope you all somehow find ways to come to terms with the loss in the ways best for you. lovely work, well done.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Hcarson He was such a friend to me I think even now a couple years later I still feel broken

[hcarson]

aww thats even sadder...i hope you do find a way soon, must be so hard to live with feeling like that, i guess until then just keep writing these amazing poems and hopefully one day tou will wake up and realise you are not so sad anymore but happy at the good times you shared

[Tate Morgan]

I have many happy days But Still I shed a tear for the days gone by that will never see fruition or light of day again

[θεά]

This is beautiful.

The sentiment of pain and bereavement lingers.
The affection, gratitude and regard for the one who has passed leaves a lump in one's throat.

May your friend rest in peace.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Mallika I eulogized my friend and read this over his grave to the unending tears of his friends and family.

[Woody]

I know I'm repeating myself but what the hell! you are a fantastic poet with a huge heart.
this is, like many of yours, heart shattering. but sweet and tender at the same time. you have a tremendous ability to reach out with your lines inside the reader's busom and squeeze their heart till they cry out with masochistic pleasure.
thank you for this one (and the others) and God bless you.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Woody i try to simply associate my own feelings in words to those who share this world with me. I dont have a clue why it works so well.

[Christopher Vivian]

Oh Tate, we have all had this experience and thank you for writing such an emotion filled requiem for your friend, and all our collective friends. Chris Paget

[Tate Morgan]

Chris So nice to see you here today. I cant tell you what it means to be lauded by you I thank you.

[Tate Morgan]

I sent you a friend request top right of the home page Id be honored if you'd accept

[Helena]

Tate, you are man with a great big heart. A wonderful tribute to your dear friend. I'm sure he felt the same for you. God bless dear.

[Tate Morgan]

Helena thank you Life would be such a lonely existence if we didnt invest in those we found so worthy

[Deborah Leah Krempa]

He must have been an awesome friend, true to the heart, and a wonderful man to have in your family, ty for sharing this poem and a part of Michael with me... debileah

[Tate Morgan]

Yes my neighbor and best friend

[lee von cleef]

Still good Tate, Still good .

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Lee so nice to hear from you are you well?

[lee von cleef]

Flash the Cafe tries to contain the chaos , well I hope so I miss a few, Diego, The Cobra lounge,etc..
Am I well ? am I well? No probably not, But who is ? So one foot two foot blue foot...

[Cassie]

This is a very great piece, I like every bit of it. Thank you for sharing with us

[Tate Morgan]

Cassie Thank you very much i am Tate

[Silhouette]

I could feel the sadness and I like your acknowledgement that your friends are all treasured to you...thanks for sharing such a beautiful piece =)

[Tate Morgan]

you are welcome I hope it helps

[Silhouette]

It does...thanks for that as well.

[Veronica Chandler]

Your words once again have me weeping a mix of sorrowful, exuberant joy, as your thoughts fill my spirit with all good things. The values which ring true through the words you carefully choose and sculpt into pieces of art both inspire and delight me. A song comes to my own mind as I listen to and hear your poetic verses reverberate throughout my spirit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmAeDJtZkvQ

Thank You Tate!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you for both Mike and I .We both enjoyed life and though he is gone I will see his dreams righted and his grandchildren raised in his memory