My Dusty Soul

Their mother dreamed of better things for her little girls in this life She wanted more, than to be poor as an abusers little wife

I traveled west to the sunset

where the desert begins to roast

the heat baked down, on every town

across the plain onto the coast

I came upon an old Buick

a woman two children in curls

Their dreams stranded, their car branded

a look of sorrow on the girls

 

I pulled my pickup in behind

walked to the window said "hello"

Offered a ride, "its cool inside

come with me and we'll find a tow"

At first they wouldn't come along

choosing instead to stay and bake

"We'll have to stay, cause I can't pay

I think this trip was a mistake"

 

 

The girls were all of ten years old

their pain had tested their belief

Innocent pawns, of sun-baked bronze

whose pleading eyes begged for relief

I saw in them the Grapes of Wrath

headed west on little money

relief from strife, a better life

in the land of milk and honey

 

I took them ten miles down the road

an oasis like a mirage

A bit of luck, found a tow truck

had the car towed to the garage

We shared a lunch that afternoon

their radiator was repaired

I'd eased their trials, restored their smiles

it felt good to know I had cared.

 

Their mother dreamed of better things

for her little girls in this life

She wanted more, than to live poor

as an abusers little wife

 I never gave the girl my name

fighting against my vanity

Theirs was a goal, that saved my soul

sharing with them humanity

Author's Note

It was 1998. I was crossing the western dessert to the coast. I remember this woman and her two little girls. How scared they were to be on the road alone and broke down. The sun was so relentless that day. I was on a trip to southern California to deliver a box to the docks. I had a hard time convincing them to go with me. I paid the mechanic to fix the car and gave the woman money for gas. The little girls so like my own. The mechanic brought their car around. The girls were drinking pop on the bench outside the diner, awash in smiles as I drove off toward the setting sun. I know they thought that I had been a godsend. What they didn't know was that they had given me much more than I did them. I found my thoughts drifting back to my own children and thinking of how blessed I was.

Reviews

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I liked this. We just never know when or where we are going to need a helping hand so it's always good to lend one when we can. These days folks are just as scared someone trying to help might be a mass murdering lunatic. When I was a kid I remember waving at complete strangers driving down the road and they waved back. We left our doors unlocked at night and kids could go out walking alone without fear. The world gets a little crazier every day I think. Great piece here Tate.

[Tate Morgan]

Fabian always a treasure to see you here. You lend a lot of class to this place. I know the world has changed. However I refuse to go through life afraid. thank you

[Pax]

your kindness mr. Tate is a blessing to them ~ maybe because i always think that everyone who ever help me is a blessing ~ so any help from a kind person will always a blessing to me ~ your a good man, that little helps will come a long way to them and they will always remember you deep in their heart... Great work!

[Tate Morgan]

I often wonder are the little girls grown with families now .Are they running on the beaches of California happy and carefree? I hope so. thank you

[Pax]

Your welcome ~ we may never know ~ fate is a tricky wonders :)

[zainul]

Having read your golden poem,I can now feel what happened in the minds of me,my daughter and son when we were stranded in a forest area without any means to come back home.
I am spellbound and leaving this comment as a receiver of a favor similar to that you proffered to a broken family.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you It wasn't long after that i too found myself broke down coming back over the desert from California and a selfless man stopped and saved me

[zainul]

This is our moments to express our gratitude to the Almighty who has made us human to enjoy the gift of humanity.

[Tate Morgan]

Yes mercy is mans greatest gift.

[zainul]

Thank you Tate for inviting me to read your piece.
I would miss the treasure had you not invite me.

[Tate Morgan]

And i would have missed you my friend

[zainul]

Really.
Thank you very much :)

[Tate Morgan]

your'e a gentle soul Im proud to be your friend

[zainul]

I find the same in you and also feel proud to be your friend.

[Tate Morgan]

peace to you my friend from the other side of the world.Id shake your hand if you werent so far away.Yet we share the same dreams for our grandchildren .We breath the same air.Are made of the same material and our lives are lit by the same garish sun and paths walked shone by the same mellow moonlight .We are the same

[zainul]

Tate,the words sound like divine blessing.
I am very happy to acknowledge the truth ventilated through your poetic expression.

[Tate Morgan]

The difference between us is simply that we live on different sides of the same world. nothing more

[zainul]

That's right, dear friend.

[Rita L. Sev]

This is a moving story; you turn your experiences into poetry so effortlessly. This is one that will stay with me!

[Tate Morgan]

Thanks I was thinking of them this morning when i heard of a woman who died in the dessert the other day

[Silhouette]

I'm speechless…just incredibly radiant and exquisite. What else can I say but another breathtaking poem.

[Tate Morgan]

I am quite humbled by that thank you

[Silhouette]

You are welcome.

[N!LoC]

tate.. oh u beautiful human being :-)

[Tate Morgan]

thank you very much

[SyberRose]

They were really lucky you came along as you never know what would have happened to them if you didnt...and hope they have a better life now...nicely done Tate and thank you for sharing...SyberRose

[Tate Morgan]

rose I always hoped they found happiness i still hold to that

[Aramey]

This is incredibly heart touching and beautiful. I like how you mentioned vanity a lot of people don't understand the word, but clearly you do. As a side note, what a nice thing to do! Those moments really do make us appreciate our own life. Great write!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you anyone who knows me knows i fight my vanity all the time it is the bane of my existence.I always have to crush it down.It is not the quality I want from my life

[Dayran]

A thoughtful act Tate but also one that is self aware. Where we are defined by what we do we certainly wonder about the opportunity to do so. A well formed and flowing poem.

[Tate Morgan]

Sri Thank you one of these days am going to get good at the paget meter Make that one of these years. I wasnt long till I too was in trouble i broke down on the way back across the desert and was helped by a man i never met again

[Robert James Parfett]

The fact it is a real story makes it even more enjoyable. It flows really smoothly and left me with a warm feeling. I will definitely be reading more of your work.

[Tate Morgan]

Robert james So nice to see you drop by thank you sir

[David Lewis Paget]

I won't stroke your ego, Tate, by telling you what a grand act that was. There are enough on here to do that already. But the poem, well... I think it's one of the best things you've ever done, taking into account rhyme and metre, easy flow, syllable count, and an overall feelgood resonance about it. Full marks my friend.

[Tate Morgan]

Dave i truly have been attempting to control; the syllable counts in these ,.I thank you it is the way it is constructed that matters most to me. Thanks man