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.

[TPK Stories]

Beautiful treasure of life that ought to be treated as precious....

[EMF]

Cracking work Tate. Striking and deep. It delves deep into memories. Both yours and those that are stimulated by your words. And as usual, an exceptional write.

[Manpreet]

It is always a great pleasure to read your work. Past is never to be forgotten but is to use as the base of from where the present thoughts have to build on. We are no body if we are not linked to our roots. It is a priceless treasure we all need to conserve and share with generations to come.

[Muse]

Tate thanks for the tribute and the warm thoughts shared. I heard a lyric from a song the other day. It inspired me...much like your poem. It said to follow the hard-lines in your hands...why...because you CAN. If I follow my life line....it will bring me clarity. And I believe this to be true. But I must first...wash my hands of all this dirt and confusion. We create our own destiny...we create our own legacy.

[Mary C]

Beautiful, ...highly creative...brilliantly imaginative!

[Becky C Strukamp]

Life's greatest joys and treasures are not measured in our monetary values rather in how we lived our lives and that we touched and those who touched our lives. Your poem and insight Tate is always spot on. I love your writings and value that what I take from you is your friendship and that of yourself you wish to share with me in your writings, Many thanks my friend.

[Jazique]

Wow that was just beautiful the poem and the penny for your thoughts. I agree with people your writings have so many ways that they are unique from others like how your poems are almost planned and thought out as you can right anything and it can truly relate us in our own way some how. I mean how the fondness of memories stay with us especially when its with someone we love or just care about like what you said with your son. Anyways I would like to say more but, overall I really enjoyed this poem and its great to be reading your writings again. Can't wait to read your next one and well done. Brava!

[Droll Prole]

Your poems always seem so effortless and full of meaning, you are a master of rhyming verse.

[Judy Ponceby]

This by far is my favorite piece you have written, not only for the words you have written but for the explanation you provided. A beautiful tribute to those in our lives who mean more than we can ever say. :) We are the sum of our experiences with the ones we love :) Well done as always Tate. :)

[Dinesh Sairam]

I found

"When winters cold seems to descend
from the North Winds that blow a gale
Take heart in that you are not alone
then may love lift and fill your sail"

as a better ending verse. 'So when our time has come..' seemed like Cliche. Otherwise, great as usual, Tate.

Keep writing.