The Traveler

An autobiographical piece

The Traveler
 James Horsley

A child walked with his mother at the noon of day
The two of them strolling hand in hand
Over grassy knolls
Under who’s fertile soil
Slept those long dead

Upon one such knoll there was erected a tomb
Carved from snow white marble
Said the child
“Who sleeps there mother?”
And the lady did reply

“There child, lies the traveler
A dreamer who kept one foot on the ground always
A silent man
Who’s calm, mellow exterior
Housed a fiery spirit”

“His songs may never be sang
His verse shall perhaps go unrevered
But his melodies
Rang as sweet as any
Played by better known men”

‘A steadfast man he was
While not the fairest of lookers
He strove to be
The fairest of judges
That he could honestly be”

“He was eternally loyal to those close to him
To them he gave his blood, sweat, and tears
And to his surprise
 Received that same loyalty
Ten fold in return”

“A spiritual man was the traveler
Yet no vicar was his guide
Other than God
The ever living, and more trustworthy
Than an army of bishops and priests”

“When a day has passed, it’s gone child
Drink in every moment, as he chose to do
For though he did
He could not escape that fate
Which awaits us all from birth”

“Here child, now sleeps the traveler
Though his fire shines brightly elsewhere
Let him rest
He may do so peacefully
Knowing that his years were not wasted”

Reviews

James,
This poem, [and it's writer], goes to show that understanding "life" and all that it entails does not henge upon a person's age--you are proof of that. Quite simply, this piece is melodic in tone yet prevails with such depth of sensitivity, warmth, and nurture. Your placement of words, as well as the lining, enables the reader to read with a natural progression and flow of the story being told. Your use of dialog is demonstrative and creates a mileu that I soon will not forget. By the way, I was born in a small town in Kentucky and I do understand the rolling hills, the blue grass, and the lives that are all-too-soon-forgotten simply because they lie beneath us and are not present in our hearts.

Thank you,
R. Grayson Cooper, Ph.D.

[Celtic Cat]

Wow. Really, wow! This is such a beautifully creative way to do your assignment, what better way to tell the story than how you've chosen. I hope your teacher is smart enough to have picked up on that!
I laughed at the lines:
Who's calm, mellow exterior
Housed a fiery spirit"
Because, I can see it in your avatar, that fiery spirit. It comes flying right out of your eyes, passive pose or not! In fact, as I've been browsing my friends list lately, everytime I pass your pic I pause, because that fire comes right off the screen. You almost have the look of the cat who ate the canary, I think. Of course, that could just be MY filters... as I'm a cat! lol
Right, back to the review!.....
While not the fairest of lookers
He strove to be
The fairest of judges

[stasisindarkness]

this is simply wonderfull.

[Emily B]

Wonderfully reminiscent of Longfellow or Emerson with just a hint of Appalachian folk tale. You do have a talent for writing. I whole-heartedly agree.

[M. A. Wells]

Jamie, this is really quite beautiful. I never knew what a talent you had for writing. (By the way, this is Morgan from English Class)