Peaches

His liver like a lace doily alcohol pickled him thin He'd been turned down, all over town no one ever took him in

There was an old man, I once knew

Peaches was the name he used

He was the drunk, set on our trunk

his body old and abused

 Sharing his beer with an old horse

who caroused in the end stall

Each day by three, they'd walk by me

and stumble but never fall

 

His liver was a lace doily

alcohol pickled him thin

He'd been turned down, all over town

no one ever took him in

He drank his beer with ole Nellie

she could tip a bottle too

Swig and sway,  like Don Quixote

as they staggered, swirling, brew

 

We were headed for the races

this blustery afternoon

Each planned the trip, we had to ship

I knew we'd be leaving soon

From where we trained at the fairground

we carted them to the track

Where all would race, and take what place

each earned in front or in back

 

Peaches rode in back of the truck

so he could drink the whole way

My uncle said, he'd soon be dead

drinking had seen his decay

We sat apart from others there

he and I were best of pals

He'd tell me tales, of life’s travails

while I ogled all the gals

 

That day he shared a sordid tale

of pain he caused his own son

He had shouldered blame, bore the shame

for this thing that he had done

Back when he was just a young man

a pillar of support

He took his boy, his life’s great joy

to play their favorite sport

 

They went to a picnic that day

he had drank one too many

On the way, to watch his son play

of fears he hadn't any

His boy was riding in the back

not thinking they skipped the seat belt

He'd rolled his car, the door ajar

surprise was all he had felt

 

His boy was tossed out in a field

sweet clover of timothy

The child's light hair, seen lying there

 remembered so vividly

"I was a Veterinarian"

said Peaches to my surprise

"I went insane, called out in vain

but God never heard my cries"

 

"So now I ride where I belong

In back of my self-made bar

Hoping he, will come to take me

by tossing me from the car"

 Just then a tear fell from his cheek

the pain enveloped me too

Here cried a man, much deeper than

any of us ever knew

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Author's Note

Who can truly say that only they know the heart of another soul? The sad truth of this is that it is a true telling of an actual event.The people I met through the years engrained their stories in my mind. Where I wrote them down and stored them. All I met there were at odds with life. So I suppose judge not lest you be judged. With Peaches I realized his fascination with me was partly my youth and part my resemblance to the treasure he had lost. May he find peace in his afterlife so denied him in life.

Reviews

[Kristallo]

"Here cried a man, much deeper than
any of us ever knew" This has a wonderful message, it reminds me so much of Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors" where Adriana says (one of my favorite Shakesperian quotes"

A wretched soul, bruised with adversity,
We bid be quiet when we hear it cry;
But were we burdened with like weight of pain,
As much or more would we ourselves complain

This man deeply lamented a horror from his past, and in consuming guilt, he consumed alcohol to assuage his inner torment- and others throughout the town would never bother to guess his reasons for being a drunk, it's easier and more fun to just mock him for his weaknesses. Society is a vicious thing. I really enjoyed reading this, Tate, it's very well written and such a strong piece. Glad I happened upon your writings tonight! Great work.

[Mockingbird]

excellent narrative poem. you just never know, everyone has a story to tell, and we should listen instead of judging him like everyone else does.

[Kimberly "Melody" Carne..]

This is a true to heart kind of poem I revere and love to hear from you. You words ring through and through from the first to the last. A man looked down upon, never understanding his past. So wonderful Tate so wonderful indeed! True poetry cradled in pain are many times the ones that see the Romeo and Juliet kinds fame.

[A Soap Mess Stories]

What a great tale...

[...]

What a wonderful tale of the depths of remorse :)

[Priscilla Sayers]

You have accomplished a wonderful tale through verse. What a gem! Much love and enjoyment reading your creation!

[Dayran]

A poem set to a meter creates an appeal as a part of the life we live. A tragedy communicated the same way diminishes the shock of the experience and helps people cope with the unexpected. Well done Tate.

[Lisa Ring]

Poignant piece on the power of appearance. How many times have we assumed to know a person or judged them based on very little? Very well written, Tate.

[Michael G.]

Well done. I appreciate the flow, and storyline. You did well as usual, Tate.
I too, turn the music off... but that is a matter of choice. If I'm reading, I don't want the invasion of "other" words. That way I hear your full voice. When writing, I usually use instrumental music in the background. But this is an added touch that is unique to you here.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Hi Tate, I am not a poet. I will never understand the technicalities of meters and certainly not quatrains!!!!!! David and you are of course intellegent poets who tell tales in an incredible way. This was so poignant in its message. I work with people with mental illness and I learned years a go never to judge others. Judge only yourself but only when you have enough understanding of the person you are. Well done a sad tale told brilliantly!
Oh and I love the music! I am a huge James Taylor fan. I saw him in London some years a go and got his autograph which sits in my conservatory as I write. I must confess though I like David had to turn it off to apprieciate your verse.