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Open Poetry #11
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Auguste
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By the sea

0 posted 2000-11-23 04:46 AM




The Visit

Upon the porch there sat a man
Who gazed out at the sea
Grey beard and crippled there he wrote
His poems of fantasy


So all alone in that old house
His hours kept were late
But his poems were never published
Though some of them were great


And he even painted pictures
An artist all his life
But days were spent in solitude
Because he lost his wife


There are few who knew him very well
He kept all to himself
A man of words that went unsaid
And one of little wealth


He had an old cat that he loved
And Scooter, was her name
In cat years she was just as old
As him and like him, lame


His only child had moved away
And how he missed him so
So few the visits had become
How dim his life did grow


One day while walking on the beach
I saw him in a chair
I knew him sick, so thought I'd check
And hoped he didn't care


At first I thought he was asleep
With head upon his chest
The cat was lying in his lap
And both of them at rest


On closer look, his open eyes
Spoke truth I feared the most
This gentle, unassuming man
Had given up the ghost


Upon the table was a poem
The last that he would write
It spoke of how he always fought
But now gave up the fight


And beside it was a letter
He'd only just begun
That was asking for a visit
From Ben, his only son


Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

© Copyright 2000 Michael Auguste - All Rights Reserved
Butterflies_dont_cry
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since 2000-03-06
Posts 3733
Michigan
1 posted 2000-11-23 07:26 AM


I've missed your tenderly woven poetry so
much!!! First of all welcome back...and
hopefully it's for an extended visit  

Secondly...this is so tender and
beautiful...and of course filled with the
sadness of things left undone...you
certainly don't know how this story touches
my heart with familiar hallways of my
soul...The last lines spoke so loudly to me of my
own things left undone that I can never go back
to...it took my breath away...exquisite
weaving and definately one for the library~

< !signature-->

You cannot dance in the sun until you have cried in the rain~


[This message has been edited by Butterflies_dont_cry (edited 11-23-2000).]

Sunshine
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Listening to every heart
2 posted 2000-11-23 07:31 AM


Auguste, once again, slight stroke of pen causes heartbreak...lonesome ache...

we have missed you...welcome home...


Karilea
If I whisper, will you listen?...
I would rather be silent and write, than speak loudly and be bound.
KRJ




Meadowmuse
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since 1999-12-27
Posts 3263

3 posted 2000-11-23 08:32 AM


Michael, you did it   You know I love this moving poem. Brace yourself. (sorry, couldn't resist)  

~ Claire

Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?......Henry David Thoreau


Auguste
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By the sea
4 posted 2000-11-23 01:31 PM


Butterflies,

Thank you for the very generous reply and it's so good to hear from you.  

Michael


Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

Auguste
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By the sea
5 posted 2000-11-23 03:42 PM


Sunshine,

Thank you. It's good to here today and see some familiar faces...like yours  

Claire,

Okay, I'm "braced," now what?  )  It's also good to see you here.  It's been awhile.

Thank you both and I hope your Thanksgiving is a wonderful one.

Michael

Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

Martie
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since 1999-09-21
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California
6 posted 2000-11-23 05:58 PM


Auguste--I was so glad to see your name...for your poetry always touches me as this one certainly does..thank you for the look through your eyes.
Paula Finn
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since 2000-06-17
Posts 5546
missouri
7 posted 2000-11-23 06:08 PM


Oh Michael...how heartbreaking...and how beautiful...have missed you
Sunnyone
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since 2000-07-06
Posts 5334
Staffordshire, England
8 posted 2000-11-23 06:09 PM


Michael...
I can't even begin to tell you how you have been missed.....this is a special day to see you here again!  Your words are so beautiful, and my heart is always glad when I can read them!!


Write on!
-<--<--{(@


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

9 posted 2000-11-23 06:22 PM


This reminded me of some of my favorite Robert Frost poems because it was so real and down to earth. Thank you for posting this.


What is that you express in your eyes? It seems to me more than all the words I have read in my life.

Walt Whitman


Auguste
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By the sea
10 posted 2000-11-23 06:36 PM


Martie,

You're most welcome, and thank YOU.  You're always so kind.

Paula,

Good to see you're still writing.  I've missed everyone here.


Michael


Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

Auguste
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By the sea
11 posted 2000-11-23 06:40 PM


Hi Sunny,

Can someone my age still blush?  I think I just did.    Thank you, my friend...it's nice to be back for a little while.  

Michael


Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

JamesMichael
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since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
12 posted 2000-11-23 06:48 PM


Yes and I miss my sons also...all the time...James
Shelby Olivia
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since 2000-07-04
Posts 25

13 posted 2000-11-23 07:09 PM


Absolutely beautiful, Thank you so much.
Auguste
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By the sea
14 posted 2000-11-23 09:04 PM


Irish Rose,

Thank you...what a nice thing to say, however, I'm certainly no Robert Frost.

James,

Thanks for the reply.  This poem is fiction, still, I understand what you mean and wish you my best.

Shelby,

Thank you for stopping by.  It's always nice to see a new face here.

Thanks everyone
~Michael


Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
15 posted 2000-11-24 11:40 PM


MichaelA~
Such a WONDERFUL treat to see you visiting.
*Winking* at you and hoping you will stop by
every now and again for a post.
(I know you're out there reading)
We love seeing your thoughtful writing.
*Heart-Hugs*
~*Marge*~


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

Denise
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16 posted 2000-11-25 08:40 AM


Heartbreaking and very well done!

Denise

Auguste
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By the sea
17 posted 2000-11-25 02:07 PM


Hi Marge,

Thanks for dropping by and saying hello.  I've missed you.  I hope your day is a nice one, dear friend

Denise,

It seems like ages since I've heard from you...in fact, I think it has been.  I hope your Turkey Day was a good one with family and friends.  Nice to hear from you.

~Michael


Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

Startime
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since 2000-10-03
Posts 5918
Canada
18 posted 2000-11-25 02:14 PM


Oh my gosh, your writing touches the heart of the reader bringing to life very strong emotions. This poem brought tears to the eyes as I read of a loney heart. Thank you so much for sharing with me.

Love I leave with you my friend whether it be in your life or of yet the essense of your dreams. [URL=http://path2riches.com]http://path2riches.com

Sven
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East Lansing, MI USA
19 posted 2000-11-25 07:21 PM


It's good to have you back my friend. . .

This is why we missed you. . . a wonderful tale. . .touching. . .

--------------------------------------------------------

That which gives light must endure burning
--Victor Frankl


Auguste
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By the sea
20 posted 2000-11-25 07:23 PM


Startime,

Thank you for the nice words.  It's good to see new people here.  I'd glad you were able to find time to read this.  I do appreciate it  

~Michael


Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

Auguste
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By the sea
21 posted 2000-11-26 05:01 AM


Sven,

So good to hear from you and thank you for the nice comment.  I'm not back, just visiting.  Hey, life gets complicated and mine right now certainly is.  Even so, I will drop by from time to time and "check in," reading some of the wonderful poems here, like "yours."  Take care, my friend.

Michael


Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

passing shadows
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displaced
22 posted 2004-05-05 03:14 AM



Mysteria
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British Columbia, Canada
23 posted 2005-08-21 03:34 PM


To paint with words is a gift as was your art.  What a lovely piece, and sorry I missed it first time around.
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