They Don't Make Those Men Anymore

Elmer Conrad

The day started as many do

I ran up the hill of the grounds

I'd leapt from bed, in fear and dread

that I would be late to the Downs

We had so many horses then

thirty one as I now recall

Only two men, to jog back then

 rushed to finish before the squall

 

We had six horses in that night

each hurried to finish in time

We'd bathed them all, cleaned each ones stall

life was hard back then in my prime

The rain was roiling from the west

black clouds had portended a storm

All were ready, stout and steady

for us this was just the norm

 

On that night between the races

I spoke with an old friend of mine

His the mystique, the most unique

of any horsemen you could find

His dad named him Elmer Conrad

he was a product of the old school

At eighty four, or maybe more

this young man thought he was so cool

 

As the oldest racing driver

I must admit he held great sway

In him I'd found, a lonesome sound

as he'd outlived all from his day

One night Elmer was in a wreck

his temper puffed a powder keg

There on the ground, a cracking sound

he lay picking bones from his leg

 

But this night he drove his rig home

it was late and the roads were wet

He'd had bad luck, and wrecked the truck

I'm sure he blew it off, "no sweat"

That was the last I saw of him

someone thought him too old to drive

With no great ease, took Elmer's keys

and with that his desire to thrive

Elmer hung himself in the barn

beside the home family owned

Looking back now, I wonder how

any of us could have atoned 

 Next day I heard my hero died

where-bye we'd lost a man so great

Scrawled on a note, that he had wrote

"I am the Master of my Fate"

 

He treated me as if his own

and for that I honor him too

By eighty four, he had done more

than any man I had ever knew

He was the last great gentleman

I had known of four and four score

There died our best, eternal rest

they don't make those men anymore

Author's Note

Men like Elmer led their lives by a code unlike the average man. Elmer Conrad was such a part of the track his was the template from which we were all created. He was the constitution and conscience of us all. The old ones respected him. But I admired him. The secrets he had learned followed him to the grave, as did our feelings and admiration for his spirit. As a young man I felt a little poorer for the loss of such a spirit. He had been the guest on the Carson show the year before as the oldest living driver. I remember watching him and thinking he is so cool!
I am not one who believes that finishing third is winning. I think we do our children a disservice by awarding them trophies for participation. It is the truth of life that excellence is the key to success. Life is meant to be hard. I use to look at Elmer and knew from the tip of his hat to me that he approved. He watched me work night and day. He saw with what deference I paid homage to my own father and in me I hoped he had found something of himself and the times that led to the man I so admired. He was one of a kind.
May God Rest His Soul

Reviews

[Brother Rooster]

Holy moley. Jeewhizz. Jaw dropping. This poem is like being hit by giant hammer through a pillow. It took my breath away. The imagery, the sense of nostalgia. This is so far my fav Tate Morgan work. It's inspiring in its briliance. You should be out there, Tate. Your works touches people and...well...you should be on the cover of TIME. Great. Really great.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you rooster

[Crowley]

there were men like that for sure, take away the independence and they don't feel of use. This was vivid in scene and laced with nostalgia. You always manage to coax out a good description of the thing in life that really matter. Great job Tate.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Crowley It was painful that day I remember. The nephew who took his keys was being chased around the race track by Elmers grandson actually. He was trying to bean him with a baseball bat The grandson blamed the man for taking Elmer’s keys.

[Red Brick Keshner]

This poem has an epic feel about it and lauds the person and character of Elmer of whom we now can share and emulate. Thanks you kindly for sharing.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Frederick I looked up to Elmer. I cried when he died. But nowadays I seem to find myself chuckling laughing now and again over something he did or said but the fact that he approved of me meant the world to me

[JE Falcon]

A great poem and an even greater tribute to Elmer. Well done, Mr. Morgan. --- I look back at my Grand Parents Day, and the lives they had to endure, and I ask myself, "Am I made of the same metal?"

[Tate Morgan]

Yeah they Set a high bar in the last couple generations thank you

[Temperance]

Oh my, they surely don't make men like that anymore. I believe one of the hardest things for an aging person, man or woman, is to take away their keys. It's like taking away their freedom and, if they have an adventurous soul then, it's even worse. Such a wonderfully sad story with lessons to be learned and shared. Nicely done, Tate! T.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Temperance I try to write about things that I have witnessed this true experience in the hopes that others will learn something from them

[Howard Faulkner]

Everything about this poem, your note, the beautiful song is so inspiring!

[Tate Morgan]

oward so nice to see you here thank you sir. Ill send you a friend request

[B]

i agree
There are no men like that anymore

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you i am sorry this took so long to answer

[B]

its alright
how are you

[Tate Morgan]

i am finer thank you doing as best i can

[B]

well
you are not alone :)

[Jamestown]

Another fantastic piece of work my friend!
Wonderful tribute piece to what sounds like one heck of a man,
and if you say he was cool, then he was definitely cool:)
Thanks for sharing and b-blessed!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you jamestown He was as i said one of a kind. His great grandchildren read this just today and were quite moved.I was about 22 then and they were just 10 and 11 they too remembered him well

[Jamestown]

Wow, that is really cool my friend!

[Woody]

a very touching write and a wonderful tribute. and in verse, too!
you're an amazing poet, Tate.

[Tate Morgan]

Many thanks friend I was trying what i call the Paget Meter after my friend and fellow poet here David Lewis Paget who uses this meter on almost all of his own works He calls these narrative poems.

[Woody]

I thought as much. and I loved it.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you i did 9 of these poems in honor of him

[Woody]

I'll be sure to check them out.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you I hope you like them. they are named Heart, Ole Farley,Fast Eddie, Granny,Peaches oh I cant even remember the others I went through a period trying that meter for Daves sake to see how good I could reproduce his standard. I hope I have done him justice.

[Tate Morgan]

Im sorry i am working on painting a room and trying to be here same time Ill get done what i can

[Woody]

not to worry, Tate. I know how it is.

[MomzillaNC]

What a sublime and majestic way to honor the man. Your poem impresses upon me a sense of grandeur in the man and the depth of your esteem for him. An excellently composed symphony of words.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you very much

[MomzillaNC]

You're very welcome.

[roarke]

Tate, you've covered so much in both your poem and commentary. Collecting it is feat enough, communicating it more. It's not just generations, there's difference there enough, but when someone can notice, appreciate and emulate the unique ones, the men or women who stand apart and through their nature become lasting institutions of humanity, that is simply something wondrous. The future of mankind needs more individuals, very much like the man you introduced here. Hive mind demographic societies won't last no matter how much technology is infused into it. We need strong, true, individuals to set the example in hopes we can find a way to follow it. Good stuff here Tate.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Roarke I agree. Today i found the grandson of Elmer and sent this poem to him on facebook. Theirs was a family that was admired and revered for their ability and and their humanity.