Smiles

Read of a simple man's work

one of meter and of rhyme

Whose tired footsteps echo

down the corridors of time

 

A torrid tale of longing

left by walks in thought and pain

Written for your reverence

not for authors only gain

 

For I'm a humble poet

of no specialty nor skill

Who sees the distant longing

of the child upon the hill

 

With days of constant labor

and long nights devoid of ease

I've seen the tops of mountains

Where the gods play as they please

 

Through haze and smoke deliver

my pen light upon the page

Records the music playing

from every day and age

 

To watch the gentle snowflake

alight soft on a child’s tongue

Releasing awe and wonder

of innocence in the young

 

While we the aged wonder

of moments no one could tell

Given no more to dreaming

our thoughts of where we last fell

 

For time is but an echo

of our loves felt, known and lost

Memories of our lives past

which were paid at such a cost

 

Let fly your soul immortal

stop to watch your children play

Their smiles define man's beauty

more than life could ever say

 

  

Author's Note

When we dream is it not the playful longings of the child upon the hill? Do those dreams not define our life's search and desires?

Reviews

[bluessadmood]

Oh God Mr Tate..i was so honored to review this masterpiece..
I would not expect nothing less from you..you know as i read it
I was like on a stage and you asked me to read it out loud
how exquisitely lovely it will come..i swear ..i felt it like a sypmphony
each group of words sounded like they were so high in pitch and then it got low
how you dessicate life and time ,how you humble yourself..God you were made for poetry
those tired footsteps down the lane of time telling tales of pain and ache and tired bones
its a constant labor and long and lonely nights still i stood on top of mountains where God used to play
my words though so hazed they would light a hundred miles from here to eternity and yet more
time only told how love was felt and lost ,lives lived and passed and just at what cost
what loveliness..great symphony from beginning to end..true master poet you are my friend
lovely write..

[Nayan]

Love the stanzas...

"For I'm a humble poet;
of no specialty nor skill.
Who sees the distant longing;
of the child upon the hill."

and

"Through haze and smoke deliver;
my pen light upon the page.
Records the music playing;
from every day and age.

To watch the gentle snowflake;
alight soft on a child’s tongue.
Releasing awe and wonder;
of innocence in the young."

But Tate! The novice poet in me could not get these ones...

"To save the soul of ruin;
stop to watch your children play."

Cheers!
Nayan

[Wicahpi]

The last stanza says it all in a nutshell.
Well done! Good Luck in the Contest

[SM Davis]

Very nice sonnet! 100 daisies...and poets need not a professional license to be skilled. This is nicely done.

[EILEEN McGUINNESS]

Ah the innocence which has now long since been replaced in our young by the indifference of the modern age where complicity is only the beginning of an irrationality or manufactured feeling given in to fear or immorality.
These days children want to be adults before they have reached adolesence and in so lose something of their innocence,we often as adults hark back to when we were teenagers to recapture our lost youth.
Today we are so busy in our little world and bubble getting from a to b without realising the most precious gift known to man is the creation of life.

[Babsie Bee]

Ohhh sooo wawww !! Good grief Tate....this is awesome and straight from the heart of a man who obviously has very strong paternal instincts. Very emotional write. I would love to meet the person who loves children more than me...cos I don't think he/she exists. Thank you for sharing.

Babs xx

[Surrealstorm]

I love how well this flows. This is such a beautiful poem and so very true. Sometimes all it takes is to see a child smile to change your day and make you realize how wonderful life is. This is a truly inspiring piece of work, Great write!

[Coyote Poetry]

Don't take much. A good firm handshake. A friendly smile. A hello from a stranger. Life can be made better for the people around us. We can feel better too. A excellent poem. Made me think again.
Coyote

[C.M.]

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[Aradie Rain]

Another epic piece, the simplicity of it truely shows the sweet innocence of life and its wonders. :) thank you for sharing it with us and reminding me of what its like to be young

[Lilith des Cavernes]

Well worth my wait. This is a profound work simply put. Your rhyme scheme is so well done. I'm really bad at rhyming. :-) I am impressed by those who can do it, especially this gracefully. Many cheers on this fine work.