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

[AprilRN1210]

You seem to have an amazing talent at not only telling a story, but to convey a life lesson within it--- make you feel as if you are there... touching the heart with the memories, the emotions, the fears, the love, the feelings you masterfully express.. I feel the respect, the admiration, the love, the loss, the shame, the pain... it is evolutionary as the piece takes me on the journey of that exposure, and life that so deeply touched yours... another awesome write, Tate...

[Tate Morgan]

Thanks April many of the characters that populated my life are remembered in my writing. This one was set to the Paget meter to tell it in a narrative style I wish Elmer were still alive but as I always looked up to him he now looks down on me and smiles

[AprilRN1210]

yes, I am sure of it.. and such beautiful tributes they are my friend...

[melissa]

This is a beautiful poem keep them coming

[Tate Morgan]

thank you dear

[melissa]

Your welcome

[WE]

A beautiful tribute indeed

[Tate Morgan]

thank you very much for reading my work

[OBWhiteHawk]

A wonderful and loving tribute.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you I thought him a great man

[Mysty Johnson]

This is such a beautiful tribute to what must have been a very beautiful man. Strong of character and more. Thank you for sharing this with me Tate. There is no telling of the values and information we learn from listening to our elders. I too have known a few Great characters in my lifetime. The world sure is at loss for losing them.

[Tate Morgan]

Mysty Thank you so much i am, sure Elmer would say this was a tribute too many But he was a good man.it is within our ability and part of our duty as i see it to know others for who they are. In Elmers case he was 84 and use to being the patriarch of his clan.For him it was unthinkable to be told what he could and couldn't do. sadly that lesson will forever be burned into our minds and all who knew him.

[RainbowBangles]

Moved beyond words.. by the story

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you very much

[Blue Moon Ice Cream]

You conveyed Elmer's spirit and his ideals so that I feel like I can understand him and how special he was, even though it's not firsthand. It's wonderful that he was such a remarkable man and his legacy hasn't been forgotten!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you I did not know what you meant about it not being first hand as he and I were best friends.

[Blue Moon Ice Cream]

Sorry, I meant that I never knew him myself, so I can never truly know what an inspiring person he was to the extent that you did, but I feel like at least I got an idea!

[Tate Morgan]

He was just so unique and genuine .I miss him