OLD BEATEN LEATHER
By James Strauss
I’ve never been there,
But that’s just a lie,
As I’ve been everywhere,
Moving so not to die.
The power of love,
Song’s lyrics from hell,
Clutching tight as a glove,
Ringing pain like a bell.
Winds are all laughing,
Standing to meet my fate,
Beating breezes wafting,
Life’s end without a date.
Waking from cat’s sleep,
One eye remains half open,
Resting more like a bat,
Chasing sin after sin.
Old beaten leather,
My skin like my life,
Harsh not from the weather,
But self-induced strife
Slowly moving to halt,
Like Buffet’s great song,
It’s all been my fault,
As life’s been too long.
I pray to my God,
To make it all straight,
Hoping against hope,
I’ve not come there too late.
Jim, Have been off-line for a bit – Re-occurring back issue from long ago. (I think we were just getting use to the benefits of the steam engine. Regardless.) I focused in on the last ‘stanza – “I pray to my God, To make it all straight, Hoping against hope, I’ve not come there too late.” Frankly, in my heart, I don’t think it is ever “too late” to come to God & Jesus. Even if a man has been playing poker with Satin with his eyes and heart closed for a very long time, and finally realizes that all those ‘gold’ coins were nothing more than yellow painted blanks of rusty, scrap metal – He still has a chance with Jesus and God. Just sayin’. Regards, Doug
6 Comments
Nice comment there, or really a great expression of personal belief. Thanks for sharing it with us all
and giving me some serious thoughts, as well.
Semper fi,
Jim
James
We purlitzer surprise for you or is that the Wurlitzer surprise? I read the last two chapters which I get would’ve been 60 and 61 and now I read 62 and I haven’t made any comments until now
I think the reason is the other two chapters were riveting as was this one but in the two prior chapters I got the sense that you were going through some introspection and it made me think frankly it made me go into introspection and reflection and it caused me a great deal to pause and really look at what’s going on
this chapter was really thought-provoking because it kind of completed my picture of I think what your mental journey has been you have been struggling with your career options your recent history you’re being gifted a reel from outer space and more knowledge than any man should have to carry and I sense that during this time you have been asking yourself among other questions why me what’s going on and how did I get in this place ?
these last three chapters have also not talked about what was going on in the White House White House and let’s face it this was a crazy time for DC
One of the great things about your writing is it always makes me look in the mirror and think about my life and my situation we have so many parallels it’s truly amazing the last three weeks the demons have been back not like they used to but just enough to make me wake up a couple of times a night and cold sweat go to the bathroom as men are age to and lay down and go to sleep again I don’t dwell on what my crazy thoughts are although some of them been rather strange last night I dreamt that they sent me a pair of shoes one was a black wing tip the other was a brown loafer and they were rubber the kind of rubbers you would wear over dress shoes in the olden days when we were Utes
I’m not sure where that came from the bottom line is this has been powerful writing when you can get people to think about their own lives and become if you will a person who can open up another to introspection and reflection you are doing a marvelous job isn’t it really the goal of any writer to make one think?
you have done a magnificent job of that in these three chapters and I truly appreciate them and appreciate you and your work Semper Fi my good friend
My dear friend Richard. Genteman of the highest order, exemplary Marine officer and writer of some distinction, at least on this site.
Thanks for giving me credit where it may be due but I don’t see it that way. I really don’t write with any intent to effect the life of others
with the work, but you are not the first one to say what you said in this comment about that. Our current speed of existence in the developed world
of modern civilization doesn’t really allow for much time to be introspective. Sometimes, before sleep comes at night, laying in bed, that kind of
time can occur or be either enjoyed or regretted. What are we getting right and what are we doing wrong and who or what is coming for us right up
until we’re gone. Mostly, introspection for me isn’t about the smiley parts of life. There’s relief sometimes for getting something right or good
news coming by surprise through the front door, the mail or over the phone. Mostly, it’s not that. Even doing good works, and I still try every day,
don’t play as a series of self-compliments . No, they are duty that once discharged is moved on from, awaiting the next delivery where I I might be
of help…and, in my redemptive way, be helped. You are a remarable man and it’s a great pleasure to have you in my life and i know Colonel Jim
Homan feels the say way. I always stop and smell the roses kind of behavior when I get one of these vast chasms of written from the heart material.
That’s a great compliment to me and to the site and other readers as well. Thanks for the trust you give us all in giving the real you to us this way.
Semper fi, my great friend,
Jim
Harsh not from the weather,
But self-induced strife……
Spot on LT !!
Semper Fi
Thanks Bob, much appreciate the usual complimenting brevity of some of your remarks on here.
The compliment is truly appreciated, as well.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
Those of us who have seen the elephant in places like Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, and others too many to mention will understand your poem better than those who have not had that experience. We may be old with thick leathery skni but never beaten.
It is, indeed, the breating that works and conditions the leather, so to speak…or write here. Thanks for the neat comment on reading the poem. I write from the heart at that but will not likely ever get any awards for structure or any of that.
Appreciate the depth of your response and the truth of it.
Semper fi,
Jim