Mother Natures Sons

 

Tony lived out in the country

on a hundred acre estate

There on our throne, we called Tombstone

is where we would tempt our fate

On what we called the back forty

set the barn where our ponies stayed

There we could count, each trusty mount

to partner in each game we played

 

 

We picked up our neighbor Georgie

from a bit farther down the lane

 In an hours course, saddled each horse

then set off with the morning rain

Georgie always rode ole Rusty

a stud with a mind of his own

Tough and so wild, mind of a child

ole Rusty was bad to the bone

 

We never went on safari

without carrying BB guns

Which we toted, locked and loaded

we were all mother nature’s sons

We had mastered our universe

or to us at least it seemed so

That afternoon, we shot a coon

how he escaped I'll never know

Off we raced to Lost Creek

our favorite watering hole

Crazy Rusty, hot and dusty

rode out on point for this patrol

Out past the neighbors fields of corn

our club house in the willow tree

The winding lane, a weather vane

to the creek that ran to the sea

 

 

We tied the horses to a tree

in the grass by the swimming hole

Piled up the rocks, just like Fort Knox

making it deeper was our goal

All afternoon we played out there

shooting targets off the ridge

Saddled each horse, and in due course

we set off for the cement bridge

 

 

The bridge barely cleared the water

where the rain had swollen the creek

So now it ran, over the span

as it had the entire week

Now George of course wanting the lead

headed for the top of the ridge

He couldn't see apparently

the algae that grew cross the bridge

 

 

He met the bridge at full gallop

Rusties shoes slipped as he went down

George screamed "Oh crap," and with a snap

broke his leg and began to drown

 We both jumped in and pulled him out

caught his horse and threw him back on

Pain made him hurl, he screamed like a girl

any dignity was now gone

 

 

We drug him back to his mothers house

where she promptly rushed him to town

Tony and I, both waved goodbye

determined that we wouldn't frown

We camped under the stars that night

each wrote out our Wills in a draft

Tony turned in, and with a grin

said "tomorrow we build a raft"

Author's Note

As a boy Tony Williams and I were most fortunate to have his families hundred acre estate to roam on. In a fool-hearty downriver adventure. He and I had attempted to ride the current during a storm upon a tube with a door atop it. The tube struck a fallen tree downstream and turned under the water. We both thought it was the end. Happily we both bobbed up on the other side and floated 6 miles down to my grandfathers Eddies bridge where we secured a ride home. On the way home Tony said "Well this day is shot all to hell! One didn't know what might come next with Tony. But one things for sure, another day meant another adventure.

Reviews

[john alan willox]

Lucky you and Huckleberry Tony - a city boy like me only gets to live this through your pen - very nice - thanks.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you I wish these were common memories for all those I know

[Singing Bird]

Enjoyed this one immensely. Such a brilliant way with the rhyming and wording which gives great pictures in the mind..(swear I'd been to the movies!) And laugh, thank you for sharing your childhood so. I found myself right there with you all. Precious.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you we would take you along had we known you

[Singing Bird]

Thanks would have enjoyed it.

[Lena M. P.]

I would have been insisting on tagging along. My kind of adventure. Boys get all the fun. Loved the poem.

[Tate Morgan]

unlike most boys our age we loved girls and would have gladly taken you along

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

This reminds me SO much of my childhood. My grandparents had 20 acres that backed up to 120 acres that a nice rancher allowed me to ride on. I'd saddle my horse in the morning and ride all day long; making up adventures in my head--I was running from bandits, a pricess escaping an evil king, stuff like that. So much fun, so many memories.

This had a fantastic flow, Tate. I love reading your work because it has such a tangible quality to it. Real life splayed out in beautiful rhythm and rhyme. Well done.

[Tate Morgan]

I thank you i see my life as a flowing river of rhythm's and rhymes.

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

A good way to view things! You certainly have a wonderful way of putting down all those memories into words.

[Tate Morgan]

i will ride this wave to the end thank you

[Lily Mae]

These are the precious moments in life that bring you to center whenever they are honored and remembered. Thank you for sharing your heart and memory's with us once again..xo

[Tate Morgan]

I am always reminded of how lucky i have been to have such memories thank you

[Morrigan Nicole]

Amazing! Brilliant as always.

100/100

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Morrigan So nice to see you .Thank you so much

[realmwriter]

Tate this piece takes me on a journey through your childhood like no other piece of yours that I have read before it. It paints a perfect picture of what it must have been like atop those horses trying to fiord the water and failing, all be it scary but exhilarating at the same time I am sure. I am amazed at your ability my friend...

[Tate Morgan]

It was fun and i was fortunate to have those adventures I wish i could give them to others

[roarke]

all I can say is: undaunted.

[Tate Morgan]

Why Roarke of all the people i know here you have never been one to find yourself short on comment LOl So unlike you ! I'll take that as a compliment and wear this smile the rest of the day .

[roarke]

indubitably....

[Tate Morgan]

sweet my friends and i have been reading on todd underhills weekly radio show on fridays 10 oclock eastern you should come too i think this ios this last one http://www.kzkoradio.com/#!vibe-rewind/cff9

[roarke]

That sounds cool Tate, email me some more details. And I forgot to mention about your piece, this is a different meter than you usually use isn't it? I think it reads quite well.

[Tate Morgan]

Yes it is a variation on what I call the paget meter after david lewis paget i use it on 7 poems now If you look at the poem peaches i describe it and set it out in color on the first stanza

[EileenMarie]

What fond memories you must have to be to bring the reader back in time with you'!
Great write I really enjoyed it!

[Tate Morgan]

Eileen I suppose i had a great childhood thanks in part to Tonys family and his mother in particular as she took a shine to me

[Clayton Bardwell]

Another wonderful adventure well told. I often wonder what those poor dear soul who do not write do with their memories.

The neighbors bedroom window faced my backyard. Did I think they wouldn't know it was me who put the BB holes there?

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Clayton I always thought on childhood as a gift.I was drug into adulthood kicking and screaming

[Tate Morgan]

i put a few bb holes in my neighbors as well lol