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The Last Ride
| Open Poetry #10 |
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The Last Ride |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
The Last Ride In my younger days I used to kneel by my aunts house on a Texas railroad field and yank the grass out of the ground ripping savagely at the roots. I was about six and it sure was boring living out here in the sticks. Auntie didn't much like to play but she was a good ole woman in everyway. She read me books damn near everyday and she always let my little friend Bonnie come over to visit and play. Oh yeah, auntie could be a little bit of fun and she'd treat me good and all but she wasn't half as much fun as my dear ole ma and pa. They were almost always out of town and just when I was feeling down dear ma and pa would come around and I would be happy as could be with nary a frown. I can remember everytime the neighbor girl saw my ma and pa coming down that old dusty road she'd run and hide. but I loved em to death my dear mom Bonnie and good ole dad Clyde. I nearly died when my ma and pa pulled out all those guns and the neighbor girl would run to hide. But she sure came back around quick if I told her we were goin for a ride. And I remember the words my auntie used to say "Bonnie and Clyde now you put those guns away. These younguns don't need to learn your way." Well yes, it true, nearly every Sunday if you'd come on down you'd see me and the neighbor girl and Bonnie and Clyde riding around on those railroad fields just a ways out of town. And oh how Bonnie loved to ride in that Ford with me right by her side. yeah that's when she'd come all alive everytime we'd take that ride. They say Clyde could shoot the barb off the barbwire at 50 steps or so and Bonnie would be right by his side but my friend Bonnie didn't like the violence she liked the peaceful ride. Ma and pa always treated me good when they came around. They loved to dress me up and take me into town. And dad would always pat me on the head and say, "When we're away, oh how I miss you." And mommy would love to say "Come here my baby boy so I can hug and kiss you." I'll never forget the last ride we took one day in May. That one stands out in my memory, it's the day they went away. Ma said "Get out boy, we got somethin' we gotta do." Just remember these words son "We will always Love you." "And remember all these rides we shared with her and you, and to your little friend Bonnie always be true." With those words they drove off into that hot Texas sun yet not before I kissed my mommy goodby and watched a lone tear fall from her eye. Oh how she loved to ride with my daddy Clyde. That will always be the day daddy and mommy stopped coming this way. My aunt told me something terrible happened and I'll understand some day. You see that was the day the notorious Bonnie and Clyde were blown away. When the time came they made their stand and they both died with guns in their hand. Live by the gun and die by the gun. If you ask me, dyin' that way doesn't seem like too much fun. Yep, sometimes we'd take that little neighbor girl along for the ride if she'd promise to hang on tight and be real good. And she would. And when we grew up I made her my lovely wife. The preacher man said. "Clyde, do you take Bonnie to be your wedded wife." Oh, how she loves to ride in our "33 Ford me at the wheel and Bonnie at my side. Believe me when I tell you or my name isn't Clyde. Oh yes she loves to ride. And today definately will not be the last ride of Bonnie and Clyde. Jameslee@October10,2000 "There never was, in the annals of American crime, a more pathetic, illogical, and murderous pair of social truants." "Throughout 1934, the two were on the run, but on May 23, set up for a trap by a friend, Henry Methvin, the two were killed at a road-block ambush near Gibland, Louisiana. A well-armed posse led by Texas Ranger Frank Hamer pumped 187 shells, such was their fierce legend, into Bonnie and Clyde, killing them instantly." "Both of them died with guns in their hands, but they didn't have a chance to use them." These quotes are from the book "Bloodletters and Badmen by Jay Robert Nash." Bonnie and Clyde were social outcast. They lived by the gun and died by the gun. The Last Ride is only my imagination wondering if a family would have changed their lives..James THE STORY OF SUICIDE SAL by "Bonnie" Parker We, each of us, have a good alibi For being down here in the joint; But few of them are really justified, if you get right down to the point. You have heard of a woman's glory Being spent on a downright cur. Still you can't always judge the story As true being told by her. As long as I stayed on the island And heard confidence tales from the gals, There was only one interesting and truthful, It was the story of Suicide Sal. Now Sal was a girl of rare beauty, Though her features were somewhat tough, She never once faltered from duty, To play on the up and up. Sal told me this tale on the evening Before she was turned out free, And I'll do my best to relate it, Just as she told it to me. I was born on a ranch in Wyoming, Not treated like Helen of Troy, Was taught that rods were rulers And ranked with greasy cowboys... You have heard the story of Jesse James, Of how he lived and died. If you still are in need of something to read, Here is he story of Bonnie and Clyde. Now Bonnie and Clyde are the Barrow gang. I'm sure you all have read How they rob and steal, And how those who squeal, Are usually found dying or dead. There are lots of untruths to their write-ups, They are not so merciless as that; They hate all the laws, The stool-pigeons, spotters and rats. If a policeman is killed in Dallas And they have no clues to guide- If they can't find a fiend, They just wipe the slate clean, and hang it on Bonnie and Clyde. If they try to act like citizens, And rent them a nice little flat, About the third night they are invited to fight, By a submachinegun rat-tat-tat. A newsboy once said to his buddy" "I wish old Clyde would get jumped; "In these awful hard times, "We'd make a few dimes "If five or six cops would get bumped." They class them as cold-blooded killers, They say they are heartless and mean, But I say this with pride, That once I knew Clyde When he was honest and upright and clean. But the law fooled around, Kept tracking him down, And locking him up in a cell, Till he said to me, "I will never be free, "So I will meet a few of them in hell." This road was so dimly lighted There were no highway signs to guide, But they made up their minds If the roads were all blind They wouldn't give up till they died. The road gets dimmer and dimmer, Sometimes you can hardly see, Still it's fight man to man, and do all you can, For they know they can never be free. They don't think they are too tough or desperate, they know the law always wins, They have been shot at before But they do not ignore That death is the wages of sin. From heartbreaks some people have suffered, From weariness some people have died, But take it all in all, Our troubles are small, Till we get like Bonnie and Clyde. Some day they will go down together, And they will bury them side by side. To a few it means grief, To the law it's relief, But it's death to Bonnie and Clyde. The Story of Suicide Sal from the book "Bloodletters and Badmen". The killer-lovers were not buried side by side. [This message has been edited by jmlee12345 (edited 10-10-2000).] |
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| © Copyright 2000 JamesMichael - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Paula Finn Member Ascendant
since 2000-06-17
Posts 5546missouri |
WOW guy...what a different view you have taken of this pair...as parents no less...where ever did this come from? |
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SEA 
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
James~ you know this is awesome.  -SEA |
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Marsha
since 2000-07-10
Posts 7423Maidstone Kent England |
This is a great poem, and a very different slant. I really like this, well done James. Marsha  |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Thank you Paula, Sea, and Marsha. I wrote this with the thought in mind...what if Bonnie and Clyde had a child...what would their relationship be...would their lives be any different then before. James |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Giving this one more ride...James |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Riding...James |
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Victoria
since 2000-08-12
Posts 5869 |
I caught you this time around James haa..nicely written...i thought you forgot about me ...ok we can take off now ha ha.. ~Victoria~ A poem is never finished, only abandoned. - Paul Valery (1871-1945) |
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Andrew Scott Member Elite
since 1999-06-24
Posts 2558Redlands,CA,USA |
Great story telling. My compliments and thanks for sharing. |
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Marina Member Elite
since 2000-02-10
Posts 2245Pickering, Ontario |
WOW James!!! I am very impressed by this piece you have put togther here. Very unique and much enjoyed, my friend. Marina It is a blessing to have wings for words, and passion in pen Marina Crossley |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Thank you Victoria, Andrew and Marina for the nice comments...James |
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Ron K. Fox Senior Member
since 2000-10-24
Posts 925 |
It certainly has the wheels turning in this mind...a different concept...and you're right...they were people too...just chose a different path. |
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tracie66 Member Elite
since 2000-01-18
Posts 4713Australia |
James~ This is great, a fabulous read Kept me interested the whole way..well done Tracie~ Love is the life of the soul... It is the harmony of the universe |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Thank you Ron and tracie for reading and responding...I appreciate it very much...James |
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