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jwesley
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-04-30
Posts 7563
Spring, Texas

0 posted 2000-07-10 03:51 PM



My Cape Cod Friend

Mid-summer,
night in all it's
starry splendor;
the group of us
sitting on a trailer
in the John Deere
farm equipment sales lot,
in Lovington, New Mexico,
talking,
laughing,
passing time,
when Jed walked up
trailing you,
whom he introduced
as his Cape Cod cousin.
I looked up,
caught my breath,
choked a little,
finally mumbled
"hi"
and died a little
because it sounded
so lame,
stood up to make room,
caught my foot
and tripped…
laughter all  around;
thank God
for the moonless night,
so you couldn't see
the burn on my face
as I looked sideways
at you,
saw the barest smile,
and twinkling eyes
that quenched the burn
as they stoked the fire
that threathened
to consume my soul.
You climbed up on the trailer
and just then,
from my position on the floor
looking up at you
towering over me,
you smiled,
held out your hand
said "take mine".
I did…
and you've never let it go.
We were six then,
my Cape Cod friend,
Forty
years
ago.

W. James Beard, Jr.





[This message has been edited by jwesley (edited 07-10-2000).]

© Copyright 2000 Wesley James Beard, Jr. - All Rights Reserved
Ethan Halo
Senior Member
since 2000-04-28
Posts 793
on the roof again
1 posted 2000-07-10 04:24 PM


a wonderfully vivid picture. it captures that night very well. good memories too. it's good to have friends like that.

We all got our demons.
We all got somethin' to atone for.

Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
2 posted 2000-07-10 04:27 PM


Wonderful look back at the beginning of friendship!  I like it!
Janet Marie
Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554

3 posted 2000-07-10 04:51 PM


how cool is this poem...WAY COOL...
JW this is perfect...
love the imagery and the emotions of it
the way you describe her smile...
wonderful writing...
are you sharing how you met your wife here?
me thinks so!!
jm

I think I could need - this in my life
If you're gone - baby you need to come home
there's a little bit of something me
In everything in you
MB20

doreen peri
Member Elite
since 1999-05-25
Posts 3812
Virginia
4 posted 2000-07-10 05:58 PM


BRAVO!

I love it when I discover a new talented poet at Passions!

Fabulous work! *applause*
Will look for more.

Irish Rose
Member Patricius
since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263

5 posted 2000-07-10 07:31 PM


This is a remarkable piece of work!!

Kathleen

Marge Tindal
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384
Florida's Foreverly Shores
6 posted 2000-07-10 09:50 PM


JWesley~

I just LOVE IT !
~*Marge*~


~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com



jwesley
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-04-30
Posts 7563
Spring, Texas
7 posted 2000-07-11 11:00 AM


Thank you all for taking the time to read and comment on this piece.  Even though I just wrote it, it's already a favorite of mine (of my own pieces anyway...love so many works of others it'd be hard to chose a favorite).

JM - no, unfortunately, not based on my wife (not that I haven't written for her) - it's a little bit of childhood memory and the rest, embellishment. But what is embellishment to a poet, other than (if not his own) someone's experience of life.

And doreen, not entirely new here...been posting in passions several months...and love the board.  Unfortunatley read far more than comment on but try to comment as often as possible.

Also, this piece was written to a theme, as was "Goodbye, My Loves" in DP#2, the theme here being: "love at first sight" with the inability to use any of those words yet convey the emotion, while for "Goodbye..." it was: a woman kneeling before a lake with mountains before her, forest to her back and holding something in each hand

Thanks again, all.

jwesley



[This message has been edited by jwesley (edited 07-11-2000).]

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