A poem for Friday (Dan H.)

Terry St.james

I am guilty as hell...use to work 7 days a week. Thought that was my duty. Now my kids are all grown and of course they do not have the time for me now. But...my son is starting the trade and he is my helper. Damn what a fine young man he is.
Robert Service is one of the finest poets around. His little cabin is still up there in the Yukon. I had the great pleasure of working for the railroad when I was a teen. From Vancouver to the Yukon, one day I'll make it back there....it does beckon you back.

DanHolohan

I love this poem

It's by Robert Service, tough guy:

She said: "I am too old to play
With dolls," and put them all away,
Into a box, one rainy day.

I think she must have felt some pain,
She looked so long into the rain,
Then sighed: "I'll bring you out again;

"For I'll have little children too,
With sunny hair and eyes of blue
And they will play and play with you.

"And now good-bye, my pretty dears;
There in the dark for years and years,
Dream of your little mother's tears."

Eglantine, Pierrot and Marie Claire,
Topsy and Tiny and Teddy Bear,
Side by side in the coffer there.

Time went by; one day she kneeled
By a wooden Cross in Flanders Field,
And wept for the One the earth concealed;

And made a vow she would never wed,
But always be true to the deathless dead,
Until the span of her life be sped.

* *
* * *
* *

More years went on and they made her wise
By sickness and pain and sacrifice,
With greying tresses and tired eyes.

And then one evening of weary rain,
She opened the old oak box again,
And her heart was clutched with an ancient pain

For there in the quiet dark they lay,
Just as they were when she put them away...
O but it seemed like yesterday!

Topsy and Tiny and Teddy Bear,
Eglantine, Pierrot and Marie Claire,
Ever so hopefully waiting there.

But she looked at them through her blinding tears,
And she said: "You've been patient, my pretty dears;
You've waited and waited all these years.

"I've broken a promise I made so true;
But my heart, my darlings, is broken too:
No little Mothers have I for you.

"My hands are withered, my hair is grey;
Yet just for a moment I'll try to play
With you as I did that long dead day...

"Ah no, I cannot. I try in vain . . .
I stare and I stare into the rain . . .
I'll put you back in your box again.

"Bless you, darlings, perhaps one day,
Some little Mother will find you and play,
And once again you'll be glad and gay.

"But when in the friendly dark I lie,
No one will ever love you as I . . . .
My little children . . . good-bye . . . good-bye."

DanHolohan

I love this poem.

It's by Robert Service, tough guy. He called it DOLLS

She said: "I am too old to play

With dolls," and put them all away,

Into a box, one rainy day.


I think she must have felt some pain,

She looked so long into the rain,

Then sighed: "I'll bring you out again;


"For I'll have little children too,

With sunny hair and eyes of blue

And they will play and play with you.


"And now good-bye, my pretty dears;

There in the dark for years and years,

Dream of your little mother's tears."


Eglantine, Pierrot and Marie Claire,

Topsy and Tiny and Teddy Bear,

Side by side in the coffer there.


Time went by; one day she kneeled

By a wooden Cross in Flanders Field,

And wept for the One the earth concealed;


And made a vow she would never wed,

But always be true to the deathless dead,

Until the span of her life be sped.


More years went on and they made her wise

By sickness and pain and sacrifice,

With greying tresses and tired eyes.


And then one evening of weary rain,

She opened the old oak box again,

And her heart was clutched with an ancient pain


For there in the quiet dark they lay,

Just as they were when she put them away...

O but it seemed like yesterday!


Topsy and Tiny and Teddy Bear,

Eglantine, Pierrot and Marie Claire,

Ever so hopefully waiting there.


But she looked at them through her blinding tears,

And she said: "You've been patient, my pretty dears;

You've waited and waited all these years.


"I've broken a promise I made so true;

But my heart, my darlings, is broken too:

No little Mothers have I for you.


"My hands are withered, my hair is grey;

Yet just for a moment I'll try to play

With you as I did that long dead day...


"Ah no, I cannot. I try in vain . . .

I stare and I stare into the rain . . .

I'll put you back in your box again.


"Bless you, darlings, perhaps one day,

Some little Mother will find you and play,

And once again you'll be glad and gay.


"But when in the friendly dark I lie,

No one will ever love you as I . . . .

My little children . . . good-bye . . . good-bye."

George_10

Lovely Dan Just Lovely

We promise many things when we are young. Some are kept and some just fly away.

ScottMP

There are

strange things done in the midnight sun ....

I love his stuff Dan.

Thanks for sharing

Scott

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Mason

Kids

How many times do we put our kids in that box because we are too busy working...............

Thanks Dan


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BillW@honeywell

I can hear..

"The cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Boy Blue and the Man in the Moon:
When 'ya coming home Dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then,son,
We're gonna have a good time then". (Harry Chapin)

Or maybe "Who knows where the time goes?" as sung by Judy Collins.

Terry_14

Our Service Men & Women

How many tears will be enough?

How many young lives will be enough?

How many Loved ones suffer grief?

The freedom that allows me sleep!

Comes with a price that they will pay, to keep me safe every day!

Within the ground they will rest, as I do my best to support the lives they have given to each of ours!

Again I ask, How many tears will be enough?

Support our Troops and the families who await their return!

Dan, thanks for the loving inspiration! Touching my heart Terry T.