GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#336666" TEXT="#080000" background="043b85a3.jpg"> <div> <B>                                         </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#33CCFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>BILLY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT ADDITIONS</B></FONT><B>  </B></div> <div> <B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>                                                  </B></FONT><B>             </B></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=250 BGCOLOR="#336666" TEXT="#080000" background="044fab83.jpg"> <div> ''PRECIOUS MEMORIES''</div> <div>  <embed src="HTMLobj-129/memories.mid" autostart="false" width="145" height="70">  </div> <div> <B>SOUND CONTROL</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="guestbook.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GUESTBOOK">GUESTBOOK</A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" 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were "jute box jive."<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> No hostile conflicts in our midst, just peace and harmony;</div> <div> no one knew the word, amiss, and all felt good and free.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Our neighborhood on Castle Street was nicknamed "Old Dry Pond"<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> where everyday the kids would meet - and all of us would bond.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> We skated days and even nights without a thought of fear;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> of riding bikes or flying kites, for cars were never near;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> and we sometimes walked to our downtown, or rode a city bus;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> ten cents a trip for all around was quite alright with us!</div> <bR> <div> Now about that time we chanced to find just one good "fad" around,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> long ago before TV, when no "drugs" could be found.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> No smoking pot, no sexy ad, no drive-by shooting sprees;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> just shootin' marbles was the "fad" that kept us all at ease.</div> <div>  </div> <div> And "marbles" was a simple game, just bunch 'em in a ring,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> burst 'em with a shooter's aim, then watch the marbles spring!<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> If any marble, one or more would leave the outer rim,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> You got to pocket them for store, and still you shoot again;</div> <div> should you pick up all there were, opponents having none;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> a wizard then you're referred for all the marbles won.</div> <bR> <div> We often had a brilliant scheme, at least that's what I thought;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> until appeared upon the scene...a lesson we were taught.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Now from the past, a tale I'll cast..straight from my memory lane;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> an unknown name whose marble game, made all our egos wane.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> For on one early summer morn we chose a spot to play,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> the best of shooters true to form came on to win that day.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Well, we played about a-half a day, my pockets all filled up,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> and I believed I'm on the way to claim the champion's cup;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> but then appeared a little guy, his barefeet tough as rocks,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> with blue eyes like a summer sky and hair with golden locks.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> This lad was only four feet tall, a new kid on the block,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> I saw no problem here at all, for sure he'd go in hock.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> But on his face he wore a sneer just like a red sly fox,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> and smartly grinned from ear to ear, and clutched an empty box.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> His hands were large as  t-bone steaks that held five marbles there;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> for four was all it took for stakes, with one, a shooting sphere.</div> <div>  </div> <div> His hands showed much of tear and wear, as tough as they could be;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> for spots of blood shown here and there upon his hand and knee;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> and when he cocked his huge right thumb to let the shooter go..<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> I realized then the shot to come...would be a mighty blow!<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> The shot he fired, a trembling blast, caught everybody's eyes...<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> for half the marbles rolled out fast and dealt us our demise;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> for then he commenced to settle down and shoot the others out;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> with one knee there upon the ground, the game became a rout!<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> I never saw so much grace displayed by anyone,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> he moved in such a splendid pace, and made his shooter run;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> also made his shooter spin, go left, go right or stop;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> all to gain a spot within to win the marble crop.</div> <div> So in the end he filled his box, and crowned the king was he;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> and by the hands of grandpa's clock comes back this memory,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> that came a lesson learned back then, which you can always bet;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> no matter how much skill you've earned...<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> there's someone better yet!!</div> <bR> <div> William E. Hardison<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> copyrights recorded</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="i_remember_daddy.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="I REMEMBER DADDY">NEXT POEM</A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>