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Open Poetry #6
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Unsung Heros
| Open Poetry #6 |
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Unsung Heros |
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John Yaws Senior Member
since 1999-10-09
Posts 860Texas 
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Faceless heroes, all unsung- Who bled, who gave their all... For whom, a shot, their death knell rung And no one saw them fall. No tears were shed upon their graves- No lovers for them mourned. They lived, they died, and you forgot As if they’d not been born. Who are these heroes? One may ask- I speak of pioneers, The hunter, trapper, Indian scout Who overcame his fears. And went were men had never trod... Saw sights no man had known... Their end, I fear, known but to God. They’re now but bleaching bones. One died of thirst on barren sands- One froze out in the cold. Anothers scalp was hung to dry Upon a Sioux lodge pole. An avalanche got more than one Pneumonia killed a few... But many died of broken hearts But what is that to you? What broke their hearts? One dares to ask- They fenced the open range... And rails of steel brought settlers West- And all they’d known did change. The hunters slew the buffalo.... The prairie tribes are gone... And homes and cities mar the land These men once called their own. You ought to drive up to the peaks- Then walk among the pines... And aspens high up on the streams.. Where ran their long trap lines. And sometimes when the moon is full It casts a magic hue- I almost fancy once again, To see a Rendezvous... Bearded, burly, mountain men- To hear a fiddle squeal... While men with men, or maybe squaws Attempt Virginia Reel. Fighting, laughing, having fun- Too soon the time goes by... Then they would take supplies and leave.. And often they would die. Bridger, Sublette, Carson, Meek James Beckwourth, Just a few... Who blazed the trails up every creek... Ere their brief day was through. Smith, and Coulter, Glass and Bent A hundred others then- made their mark upon the land... Here’s to the Mountain men. Visit My Home Page http://www.geocities.com/montcogunslinger/HomePage.html |
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| © Copyright 2000 John R. Yaws - All Rights Reserved | |||
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bobbycat Member
since 2000-02-06
Posts 233USA |
Great history lesson....you have given names and feelings to the "mountain men" that have been lumped together as one in many history text books in our schools....thanks.  Bobbycat =^..^= |
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Meadowmuse Member Elite
since 1999-12-27
Posts 3263 |
And here's to you, Gunslinger, for composing and sharing such a moving tribute...this is excellent! Claire |
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Mike Member Elite
since 1999-06-19
Posts 2462 |
Well done. Enjoyed. |
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Danny Holloway Member Elite
since 2000-01-15
Posts 2034Tulsa, OK |
May I echo the comments of Meadowmuse? Such a good story about times that are gone forever. What the mountain men had more than anything (I think) was freedom. What an adventure it must have been! DH |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
Here's to mountain men, indeed... Considering their alternative - "civilization".... Who's to blame them for their choices in life? Nice job, again, GS..  |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
you're good!  |
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