A Lesson Learned

How kind her teared eyes that hid the truth; from the lips that would never confess.

 

Rode the train with my girl today

across the barn swept hollows

Past lush fields of emerald green

with the life and love that follows

 

The train car tapped out a lullaby beat

which spent our time lost in leisure

The smiles past came by with the peace

life's sweet gifts we couldn’t measure

 

A man had set across the aisle of us

he seemed so different from me

Clothes tattered, torn and weathered

homeless and likely worn hard was he

 

I couldn’t help but to take the notice

his features hewn and deeply lined

Drawing a map of where he'd been

red eyed he looked half blind

 

Something alone in his vacant stare

said It was me that he resembled

The thought had taken me a-fright

I looked hard, long and trembled

 

I saw my lover look over him too

noticed the hair might be the same

Except for straggling beard and decay

I had felt a deep sense of shame

 

Could that be what would happen to me

what fallen angel had led him astray

A nightmare vision of life’s full truth

eyes of pain in the heart they betray

 

Then my lover looked back upon me

her thoughts she sought hard to repress

How kind those teared eyes that hid the truth

from her lips that would never confess

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Author's Note

An introspective mirror of myself.

Reviews

[Shelly Braen]

This piece holds unmaginable beauty! The seasoned timelessness of such a beautiful, yet solomn journey through the eyes of such a man, yet the thought that they might be yor own looking back at you from the differences of eras. How could a person be more beautiful than the man sat in front of you. Wonderful! Simply wonderful!

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn..]

Tate,

This exemplary piece of profoundly thought provoking Poetry is most poignant to the reality of many a man's life, the toll that life takes upon us, the wound and hurts we attempt to conceal, but which can seen within our eyes and upon our faces ... And it is that which a woman never speaks that says more she all she ever utters ...

Marve

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you a good woman eases our pain in life. None of us get out alive

[Fabian G. Franklin]

To learn empathy for the poor is not so expensive that it might bring a man to poverty but to know poverty will certainly endow a man with empathy. Wonderfully written and expressed, fellow poet. I enjoyed.

[Tate Morgan]

Fabian I’m honored a good word from a good man ☺️

[M. J. Smith]

I'd not hazard a guess on the old Drifter's circumstance. But I live the empathy. Walk a mile in another man's shoes...
Nicely written. I salute you.
Clear skies and open roads.

[Tate Morgan]

Clear skies and open roads. What more could a young man want

[M. J. Smith]

Clear skies and open roads...
In the 1980's our town had a subculture of cycling clubs. I rode with them. And this was a blessing/salute common among us. Even now, it embodies something important to me.

[Tate Morgan]

I was racing Harness horses then. Traveling the circuit. Risking one’s life in a horse race satisfied my youthful vigor. Though I do on a motorcycle now

[Coyote Poetry]

Hello my friend. If we open our eyes and seek story in someone face. We can be taught many lessons. Powerful and wonderful words shared my friend.
Coyote

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Coyote. I agree. Empathy is a learned trait I believe. Brought by shared hardship. It is a good thing to try to understand others and try to feel for their plight

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree Tate. I need to re-read your books. I am semi-retired now. I will catch-up reading. I hope near a lake on a warm day. You are welcome my friend.

[Ted Kniffen]

Took me for a ride Tate, with Mr. Bojangles on the City of New Orleans.
We look at old faces but don't really "see" them, now we are those old faces and hopefully the ones who decided to take the trip with us believe it was all worthwhile.

Well done.
Stay safe ... take care.

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Ted. Boy don’t I know it. It seems like yesterday I was 20 years old thinking everybody over 40 was an idiot. Now at 60 years old how young I was back then. Thank you

[Poetic Beauty]

Many time we look at others around us and it makes us take a deeper look at ourselves. Noticing similarities and differences.

[Tate Morgan]

Hi kiddo thank you. Yeah we Don’t stop often to notice what might be going on in another’s life. But those things affect us as well

[Poetic Beauty]

It is definitely true for me. I’m a noticed of details and body language

[Rye]

WOW!! This is so deep and heart tugging. I found this so touching as well. makes one think of what they have in their life. Nicely expressed

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you I try to make others feel by tagging along on the journey with me. Sometimes it works well.A lesson i learned about myself shared as warning to those who follow

[Kelly Scheppers]

Life has a way of revealing itself to us. The compassion we show now has a way of coming back to us. Thank you for the revelation at the end, that resonated with clarity through your words. Simply a wonderful read, Tate!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Kelly it is true we get back what we give out at times we don’t stop to think who it might effect. Thank you for stopping bye

[emmajoy]

An intrigueing poem.. going back a while. Wondering if you're the same man, Tate.

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Emma yeah I am
The same person. The kid who was always giggling about something lol love ya hope your well thank you

[roarke]

We never know. "there but for the grace of god" kinda stuff. At my age, looking at older souls, I wonder some time how much time I have left, and if I'm doing what I should be doing.... foolish thoughts and questions, wasteful perhaps. Tate, as always your poems speak to the heart of the reader and never fail to generate compassion. Thank you.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Roark there but for the grace go I