Heart of a Lion

My rendition of Drake Cooper and his dog Dodger.

His play he would be forsaking

facing the darkness we all fear

Soul aching tiny heart breaking

oh how he wished that I were near

 

The matriarch of his small clan

was ill and finally dying

It was his plan to act the man

while inside his heart was crying

 

I had finished my latest book

which I dedicated to Drake

The Ties That Bind weren’t so kind

as I heard his little heart break

 

I sent him the book to peruse

in the hopes that it would cheer him

To ease the blues and heal his bruise

though the diagnosis was grim

 

He took her my book with the note

opened it to the beginning

Where he read the quote,  I had wrote

his face all aglow and grinning

 

In the end what could any say

to this child who loves his small clan

Love whispered stay,  don't run away

to this boy forced to be a man

 

Tate

Author's Note

Little Drakes grandmother passed away a week later and he was extremely upset. If I could do anything for him I would. He has taken it as well as any man would. But times like these we don't want him to have to be a man. We want him to live out his childhood as a boy. I can tell you the tears of a child can break the heart of any man!
This was the dedication I wrote in the front of my newest book
The Ties That Bind
I dedicate this book to Drake Cooper
A young boy of unique talent and intellect. In him I see the great handy work of the Almighty. His was the heart that once reached out to mine. When I was most alone. I will always be grateful. He bought me my first poetry album. Then inspired me to fill it with my writing. Possessed with the heart of a lion and soul of a poet. Meeting him was one of the greatest gifts I ever received. He will always be loved by me.
Tate

Reviews

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

A beautiful dedication...life is so fragile and such a mystery in so many ways. For those of us who have lost someone, I think that this leaves a poignant impression. Well done, my friend.

[Adam Lebzo -RonninWarri..]

Quite beautiful, Tate!
you have your own splendid ways with words!

[redflutterby]

So terribly sad!! My husband was diagnosed with heart failure while I was pregnant with our youngest. Two and a half years later he nearly died again. What keeps him going is the thought of how hard it is for a young child to lose someone, especially a parent. We all pray our children's hearts will not be broken in this way.

[Carolann Dowsett]

Wow heart wrenching yet so lovely, its good that he knows that you still love him.

[Lonely Islander]

This was wonderful- the picture, the poem and the story behind it. A lovely thing to do!:-):-):-D.

[Marie]

What a great picture. He sounds like a wonderful boy, blessed to be a friend to you, tp have you as his friend...

[Butch Decatoria]

Nice.

[Eve]

Even little one have to learn by losing someone dear sometimes, at times it can be so overwhelming to see a little one suffer such a confusing heartbreak, what harder a lesson of loss than one of a dear family member, this was lovely.

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

The loss of a loved one always changes a person, adult or child. I find your poem very moving and touching as you laid out the events effecting change in a little boy's life. Your words are simple yet profound, a glimpse of the humanity in us all, and the ending lines really touched me because that was what happened to my son a few years ago: "don't run away...to this boy forced to be a man."