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Open Poetry #41
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Memory Is Kind
| Open Poetry #41 |
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Memory Is Kind |
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Gunslinger Senior Member
since 1999-10-09
Posts 901TX, USA 
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There’s a phase of my life, that is now gone forever. As I reminisce, I find that it’s strange… That memories of hardship and long hours labor- No longer intrude on my home on the range. I was a cowboy, and some say a good one. I guess I was taught not to toot my own horn. I could ride; I could rope, and second guess cattle- And loved the outdoors since the day I was born. I worked in the Rockies, and in Arizona… My one goal in life was to be a top hand. If I took a man’s money, I watched for his interests, The code of the West is “you ride for the brand”. From sunrise to sunset, and often by moonlight, I worked, froze and sweated while plying my trade. Long hours of boredom, interrupted by danger- Are the mortar and bricks of which memories are made. With those days behind me (and maybe its better), I still like to gather with cowboy pards… We laugh and we joke as we dredge up old memories, Of horses, and bosses, and life that was hard. We laugh as we talk of old friends who’ve crossed over, Of broncs that we’ve loved, and some that we don’t. Of partners and women who’d sure stand beside you- And the opposite ones who most certainly won’t. Our stories are true, or we certainly hope so… But I sometimes wonder as I look behind… Why life’s so much fun, viewed in retrospection? Or could it just be that memory is kind? |
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| © Copyright 2007 John R. Yaws - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
Another great poem, Gunslinger. I think memory is kind and also we now have time to think of everything we've done. While you're busy living life you don't have as much time to think about things. Ida |
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Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
You speak a great truth, aging activates a sort of filter ... or we prefer to remember the nice events. Very good poem, I enjoyed it. Love, Margherita |
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spunkygirl Junior Member
since 2007-09-18
Posts 46 |
I like your descriptive poems of your cowboy days, but I've heard cowboys never die, keep on with the writing it sounds like an interesting life.  Spunky |
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Honeybunch Member Rara Avis
since 2001-12-29
Posts 7115South Africa |
A most enjoyable read. I guess we owe it to ourselves to remember only the good things but then again, are they good without the bad as comparison? |
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latearrival Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499Florida |
I thought of you and Cowboy as I watched The Rounders last night. Enjoyed. "late" |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Nice writing...I was in a Health Food Store and the cashier told me there's a herb that will bring your memory back...I told her "What if there were some things I didn't want to remember, and it brought those memory's back"...James |
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LindsayP Member Elite
since 2007-07-28
Posts 3410Australia, Victoria |
Gunslinger you are as good as a poet as you were as a cowboy, great poem, let's read some more of your early days. Lindsay |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
I enjoyed your poem very much, Gunslinger. Sometimes memory isn't kind, though. I am glad it is good to you. - Owl |
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