Days Gone By

At the time I was most a man I wished I were still a boy

Gentle the breeze that floats the air

across the years it moves my soul

Words so sweet, so gentle, and clear

melodies of love took their toll

 

A face from my past gazed at me

I had met these eyes once before

I recognized this sweet beauty

from far off to the distant door

 

Dropping by when I am weakest

lighting mysteries upon my breast

Playing melodies of love's heart

feeding the memories of my chest

 

I remember those laughing eyes

that had once stared back at me

No less the beauty decades since

in her face that child I could see

 

Aloof and careless with herself

walking high upon nature’s wine

She poured her beauty on my soul

no woman was ever so fine.

 

But oh the times of yesteryear

how they tasted divine like bliss

My mind a-wash in thoughts of her

longed for that first touch and kiss

 

Time seemed to have passed but moments

yet many years had seen much joy

At the time I felt most a man

I wished that I were still a boy

Author's Note

Written to commemorate the day I ran into my childhood sweetheart at a party Some 15 years later than I had last seen her as a child.

Reviews

[Astrid Hamilton]

THANK YOU.

I wish to thank you, from the depths of feeling hammocked in reverie of sweetness.
This poem was first read silently without Etta James's At Last in the background-
The first time I read it, I felt the most peace I have felt in a long time- just for coming across a stranger's poem but feeling enraptured by some certain unknown uncertain nostalgia of what it's like to be a child and see the world through a child's eyes, precious, a little girl is always dreaming of holding in her tiny palm the hand of a special boy who at that first rose blushing, only thinks upon his face as hers, at last, somewhere hovering above in Heaven's distant, and now close- dream.
This poem is surreal.
These lines brought tears to my eyes:

No less the beauty decades since
In her face the child I could see

...and then of course, rereading it a second time with the first of melody-
brought life to me.

THANK YOU.

[Lynn B Glover]

I randomly choose you from the writers on line and read a most beautiful poem, written with much emotions, with rhyming verses which makes sense in the realm of poetry writers. Great job. A poet needs to draw the reader into the poem and this you did. Brings back many memories to me of when I was a young boy. Thanks for the trip. Your friend Lynn

[Bear]

your poem has put a smile upon my face as I recall sweet times of my past as I hope for equally sweet times in my future.

[Terry Collett]

Thank you for sharing this fine poem, Tate.

[E. A. Fielder]

"Feeding the memories of my chest." Nice wordplay. I love the music you have Etta James is a childhood favorite... I know that sounds weird cause I'm only 20 but I grew up with a record player... etta james, minnie riperton, Nat king cole... then also the beatles, Barry Maniloe... hmm I can't quite remember all of them but this definately reminds me (the poem and the music) of the place I grew up in.

[Stephen Scaggs]

Dear Mr. Tate,

I read this and I was surprised by how fast I read through it. The flow is the key element in this poem, rhythm is concise throughout, structure breaks off in a few places, perfect rhymes. Clarity is also key element in this poem as from line one to line 28 (excluding spaces in between stanzas), you keep my eye. Time swiftly flows by like an inevitable river that we are tune deaf to, the passing by reflects that of old times as the river keeps flowing, but at the end of our days -- the river is the only thing that still lives even beyond our dead man's bones.

Anyways, enough of rambling. I couldn't find any grammatical errors, so I'm sorry for that. I would lowercase so that each line doesn't begin with a capital letter. Capital letters often emphasize points, we often use at the beginning of lines and it breaks flow a bit. There is, again, places I would add comma's. I can message to them to point them out.

Overall, the piece flows and reminds me of days of youth (I'm still young, ha ha) but my 'childhood' days. Good image and good sound as they do aid to your poem. A lot of poems, the photo and sound can distract from the message a writer tries to convey.
Thank you again, Tate. 10/10.

Sincerely,
S. W. Scaggs

[Jane Doe]

that really is soething tate ILLOOVVE IT!!!!

[Wicahpi]

this write of yours brings back some fond memories for me.
love the image and the music. i was watching "Cadillac Records"
and thought Beyonce (?) did a wonderful job portraying Etta.
What a voice. :)

[there is no more from m..]

Just amazig i love this poem :)

[Anxelin]

beautiful, sweet, carefree, innocent
this was all of those and more...I believe I'll be coming back to read this again...

[heido]

Lovely. hehe
I've read this several times.
I apologise for not commenting when I first came upon it.