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

[patricia]

For this poems content...Sounds like a real larger than life character and you have captured and portrayed this to us impressively.
The ryhthm you have used in this is especially good, a talented write. Very impressive.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for the story. Men like Elmer Conrad allowed us to dream and want to test life. We need brave people who never accepted second best. Thank you for sharing the excellent story.
Coyote

[Baby Ricochet]

Great tribute and a class A poem. Outstanding jog sir

[Tomi]

Amazing Tribute! Amazing man..Pity he took his own life.. From your beautiful words i can say he lived a full life...

[realmwriter]

This is awesome Tate. You my friend, have a true "way with words"...!

[KAOlmsted]

Stunning tribute, my friend. Absolutely stunning.

[Marie]

Not being a follower of racers, I would not have known or even heard of Elmer Conrad. But I'm glad to ead about him now. I'm glad to have another great soul to admire.

[Frieda P]

I wish you would have warned me this was about suicide, and hanging no less, that's how my sister went. I have no words right now, just know this pain well. Nice tribute.

[Eileenws]

What a tribute to Elmer Conrad. It's good you got to know him. But no one will ever know what was going on in his mind when he took his own life. Anyone who lives to be 84 years old leaves a legacy. Nicely done.

[lee von cleef]

Tate well done, We are people,Humanity,the product of , genetics,choices,our peers,our predispositions,our grit, our failures,our ability to purchase perspective from those events, Elmer Conrad gave your soul good traction and you have given it back. Henley his Invictus gives us the window ,you have shown light through it, thank you for sharing .