Ole McGarty "In Honor of Gentleman Jim"

"You know boys" he would always say "why if there's one thing I am not" "Attention grabbing back stabbing" "but I've won every fight I've fought"

Jim McGarty 84 yrs old Picture from 1985 Quad City Downs.

McGarty twisting a new tale

his feet on the pot belly stove

There in the barn, he'd spin a yarn

piling on like a treasure trove

"You know I don't think I told you

how I won the second World War

Ole Ike, needed help with the Reich

and he looked to me and the corps"

 

"Now the country had called on me

Ike wanted us to break the line

So I told Dwight, schedule a flight

just drop us this side of the Rhine

Then my men and I took the field

laying waste such a German swath

Led all the men, yep there and then

survived only on bread and broth"

 

"Well we sought no recognition

I let Ike spin his fairy tale

We were fine, drinking Hitler’s wine

just happy to blaze the trail"

Jim had a weakness for the blondes

touting one on each of his arms

"Easy to see, why they like me

they're after me lucky charms"

He had claimed many a patent

while inventing all the great things

Held universities, degrees

knew all the heads of states and kings

Jim served in World War One and Two

circumnavigated the globe

Hung out on the Nile, for awhile

invented Nasa's first space probe

 

 

"You know boys" he would always say

"there are a couple things I'm not

Attention grabbing, back stabbing

though I've won every fight I've fought"

When the iced wind blew through the trees

we would gather ourselves around

That smiling face, McGarty’s place

where he entertained half the town

Author's Note

Gentleman Jim:Teller of tall tales and whimsical dreams. He was the epitome of our childish inner selves.Take a bow McGarty. You were one of a kind and the worlds greatest storyteller.

Reviews

[Stella Armour]

what a great personality this guy had... they don't make them like that any more..i enjoyed also the internal rhyming that you used Tate, it really added to the poem..

[Tate Morgan]

Thanks Stella Nice of you to say so I so remember ole farley kindly

[TL Boehm]

I think he may be a relative of mine! Seriously though, this is a stellar poem. I have learned that in every teller of tall tales there is a bit of truth somewhere...finding it...that's the gem.

[Tate Morgan]

yes you are right I read this one on thew air friday did you hear it

[Jae]

I think we have all known a Farley =) Made me laugh and put a smile to my face.
The stories that people tell when they have been around the track a few times are truly interesting, so sad though that a great portion of today's modern generation don't appreciate that. I loved this! Great job!

[Tate Morgan]

thank you I feel so happy to have you back again

[Jae]

glad to be back =)

[Mark]

I applaud your noble effort, Mr. Morgan I would suggest a minor tweakage, though: For maximum effectiveness, you might try, in an eight-syllable line with an internal rhyme, to compel the rhyming syllables into fourth and eighth positions, as though it were two, four-syllable lines. In my "Man of La Moonta", I was unable to accomplish it routinely--David is the only modern poet I've yet read who seems able, apparently without effort, to insert those rhymes in regular fashion. But, that said, I applaud your excellent poem!

[Summer]

This was a wonderful tribute to all the Farley's we meet and blessed to know! Loved it, Tate :)

[Hawkmoon]

dont be concerned with form... CALI - FORMI- CATION will get your

POETRY BANNED FROM PICASSO'S GRANDDAUGHTERS LINGERIE DRAWER

[Hawkmoon]

hahaha I knew this guy back when I was selling Bird Skeletons to Philosophers in the days of Arthur Rimbaud. We used to steal blueprints of Heaven from the Catacombs of Paris.

[Becky C Strukamp]

This poem flowed as though a patriotic song being sung, a wonderful tale of what certainly seems a wonderful man. thanks Tate for bringing so many subjects to the table of our thoughts.