Wild West Wind

We were traveling roads out west

'cross the plains of the great divide

We'd been up into Canada

a country that’s both tall and wide

We drove across the Queens Highway

over the mountains one by one

To the North West Territories

in the land of the midnight sun

 

Where we came upon a mountain

that was cleaved in half at the top

At the bottom lay the result

for there the road came to a stop.

Where once had been a little town

now lay the boulders far and wide

An earthquake had torn it in half

and ripped off an entire side

 

At the base of the mountain lay

a plaque inscribed with all the names

Of those who had perished there

all the families who'd lost their claims

Each of them were drawn by riches

to the gold fields of the North West

There strong of heart, sought a new start

and were willing to brave the test

 

An old woman in the diner

where we stopped to marvel the scene

Set there telling us the story

as she managed to cook and clean

"Only one soul had made it out

and lived through that horrible day"

"You know" she said, “they went to bed

that same night that they passed away"

"The night before had seen a storm

that blew a gale across the bridge

They'd built with pride, to the far side

that led to the top of the ridge

There they had drilled and dug and fought

to reach the gold and silver vein

like the miners, Forty Niners

and their kin of the Spanish Maine"

 

"A child’s cry was the only sound

that could be heard that fateful morn"

But after that I'm sure she wished

that perhaps she'd never been born

The old woman’s face lined with pain

told how she'd lived through cold and fright

Recanted as if yesterday

for the folks she had lost that night 

  

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Author's Note

Around 1990 I was out in western Canada in the mountains near the north west territories when I came upon this missing town. Sometime between 1907 and 1910 a small town was lost to a earthquake. There I came face to face with history. This is an attempt to do justice to those whose warm hearts are buried there in the cold cold ground.

Reviews

[L.Edward]

A valuable historical memory rekindled in your words. Such a fascinating period of history. Love the amazing picture.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you L.Edward You are a good man as least as i see it .

[L.Edward]

Cheers brother.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

wow, what a great story told here...only as you can tell it...and show it.

[Tate Morgan]

Hi jacob man its nice to hear from you today . Thank you Hoe you are well.

[Relic]

This is a great historical re-telling Tate but it also has a haunting spookiness about it. Life must have been so hard back then filled with adventure but also sadness. Wonderful job on this.

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Relic yes it was more dangerous for sure Wolves bears and the ultimate predator man,.

[Relic]

Very true.

[wordwarrior]

An amazing poem of life and its hardships. You told it with great rhyme, imagery and emotion. It must have been quite an emotional time.
Great writing!

[Tate Morgan]

hi dear so nice top hear from you This is the first thing i have written in over a month

[SyberRose]

How interesting to come across a town like this Tate...and thank you for sharing your
adventure with us...and so nice of you keep everyones memory alive...Rose

[zainul]

I appreciate the old woman who is the source of the oral history.
I congratulate you for writing the fragment of human history and enriching us.
The whole poem is a gem in itself,but love to isolate following stanza for its wonderful appeal.

An old woman in the diner
where we stopped to marvel the scene
Set there telling us the story
as she managed to cook and clean
"Only one soul had made it out
and lived through that horrible day"
"You know" she said, “they went to bed
that same night that they passed away"

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Zainul I try to write of experiences in my own life that to me anyway were extraordinary

[zainul]

You are always welcome Tate.
I personally can see through your writes the people,custom,history and culture of your place in relation to time.
You are really an extraordinary friend.:)

[Tate Morgan]

thank you as are you

[Angel]

This is a fantastic glance at a tragic bit of history...you have brought it to life for us. Magnificent job, Tate.

[Tate Morgan]

Thanks Angel it is the first thing I have written in quite a while

[David Lewis Paget]

You've certainly grabbed a bit of history here, Tate, and put flesh on the bones. A fascinating story, horrific though that event might have been. Good job.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Dave Beth told me to look back in my past on my adventures and drag up a new memory or old one in this case

[roarke]

when traveling, every time I see an old gutted homestead, or the rusted carcass of an early model car, I think about the times when those artifacts were new, lived in, used. Were the times and people much different than us now? I like scenery, and the people along the journey, but it's a special treat to find towns and left-behinds like you write about here Tate. Excellent piece.

[Tate Morgan]

Roarke Thank you I feel the same way always try to go down rt 66 when i go west to see the things that were familiar in my grandfathers time.

[Dye]

This is a truly amazing piece of poetry here Tate. The story telling is fantastic and the rhyme is right on. I believe you have done justice to those out there, not only by writing about it but, by sharing the story with others. History can only survive through the tales of others, so it's very important to pass on stories and tidbits as they come up. A very nice read indeed.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you Dye I try to keep my work within the boundaries of my own experiance