This week the prompt for Jingle Poetry’s Poetry Potluck #47 is “history and stories”. This poem is a brief synopsis of the life of my grandpa, Luther “Bunk” Stringer, whose life, in my opinion, was one of historic note, and whose story deserves to be told and remembered. He was the best man I ever knew–by far–and he was my hero. If I am one day considered to be even half the man Bunk Stringer was, I, too, will have had one hell of a ride.
I wrote the following poem shortly after my grandpa’s passing, and it is to his memory I post it now:
One Hell of a Ride
Come over here and sit for a spell
Lend an ear, I’ll give it a bend
I’ve been known to tell a tale or two
Of things that were, or might have been
With words I’ll paint a picture of days
When I was young and I was lean
Of days I sat tall in the saddle
Long ago when just a teen
I’ll tell of the time I met a girl
Who made me blush and act the fool
The most beautiful girl in Texas
Was no mistake they called her Jewel
I’ll tell you about the sunlit days
Out on the north Texas plains
Where I chased the steers that wandered
‘cross the hot mesquite filled range
I’ll tell of how I sat atop my mount
On a hill as I pondered and dreamed
Dreams of what lay beyond the hills
Far places I’d never been
I’ll tell you ‘bout some of those places
For a bit of traveling I have done
Oh, I wandered from ocean to ocean
In pursuit of that brighter sun
But all roads lead me back here
Now I’ve lost the lust to roam
And so you find me here on this porch
In Texas, my home sweet home
No, I don’t have much to show
For the eighty some years I’ve lived
For I lived hard and I loved hard
I gave this world all I had to give
But cry not when you look upon
The few things I leave behind
My life was full of love and laughter
And I had one hell of a ride
Copyright © 1996 C. Mashburn
sillyfrogsusan said
Gosh…you touch me so with this! What a wonderful tribute to a man you are just like! I was also very privileged to have grandparents who influenced me in similar ways 🙂
charlesmashburn said
Sweet music to my ears, Susan; to be compared to my grandpa, Bunk. He was a story teller that could keep a person entertained for hours on end. We could never tell with him, where fiction took over and true life stepped aside.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the poem/tribute, and I sincerely appreciate your wonderful comment/compliments. My day is off to a rousing start!
Jaan Pehchaan said
Sweet contentment at the advanced age – what more can one ask for?
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for the nice visit and comment, Jaan!
Sherry Mashburn said
Good poem and wonderful tribute to Pa. Thank you, Charlie, for taking me along on YOUR ride!
charlesmashburn said
Aw, shucks, ma’am…
Daydreamertoo said
Your grandfather looks as if he was one of the last real cowboys!
What a wonderful tribute to what sounds like a fabulous man and great and good influence in your life, too.
A lovely read, thanks for sharing it with us and thanks for visiting me.
charlesmashburn said
You are very welcome for the visit, and I thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment here.
My graandfather (Pa) was THE father figure in my life. I loved being around him, and wish now I had been able to spend more time with him, and paid coser attention when I was with him.
Broken Sparkles said
Now this was some special and emotional writing. Though I don’t know you or I didn’t know your grand-father, I felt like I was the one to hear all these stories. It reminded me of my grand-parents …
I was a first grand-child in the family from both, mom’s and dad’s side and I know as a first child I was favorite, I’ve been on many trips and heard many lovely stories spending time with them … and now that they are all gone, your poem here took me back to those sweet days …
I want to thank you for the comment you left at my blog, it was a real compliment!
charlesmashburn said
I am pleased to see so many comments from folks who had wonderful grandparents. It is a great thing.
You are quite welcome for the comment. I try to make meaningful and accurate comments. You and others are so talented, I feel unworthy of commenting on your work, but I try to say something to encourage.
Victoria said
I loved this, Charles, because I had the same kind of admiration, love and close relationship with my Grandpa. We are blessed to have had such father-figures in our lives.
charlesmashburn said
We are blessed indeed! I can vouch for that!
Thanks for the visit and comment!
Jess P said
Very beautiful writing for what I’m sure are sweet memories.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, Jess. Yes, they are wonderful memories, and lots of them!
Words Asunder said
Well, about time I visited you after the comments you have left for me and I’m glad to have picked this one to do so.. I love it 🙂
Makes me want to slap my thigh and shout yee-har!! And it also reminded me straight away of Thin Lizzy’s Cowboy Song (check the lyrics). But seriously, great poem..love the rhyme and rhythm..and the story 🙂
PS… I think I have your avatar 😛
charlesmashburn said
Better late than never, Andy! I’m going to assume you ain’t from aroound these part, too. Yee-har might be something you’d here on a movie called Cowboys and Pirates; ’round here we’d be hollerin’ YEE-HAW!
Just foolin’ with ya now! Don’t go callin’ me out to the street.
You write some great stuff, Andy. I always enjoy visiting your site.
Thanks for droppin’ by and jawin’ a spell.
Donna Swanson said
I loved the earthy ambiance of this piece! I had relatives like that and remember how fascinating it was to listen to their tales of “breaking the prairie” and farming with rattle snakes for neighbors. Good write!
And thanks for your kind words at my blog.
charlesmashburn said
Yes, I heard some tales from Pa. I neer knew where fact walked out and fiction walked in. That was part of the charm of it, I reckon.
I enjoy reading your poetry and comments. You are a very talented poet.
Neni said
How lovely poem… what a nice story and history of yours… I did enjoy reading this…
The second stanza I loved most… 🙂
charlesmashburn said
Yes, the second stanza is a good one. I think he was 19 in the picture beside it.
Thanks for the visit and wonderful comments.
Seabell said
That’s the way to live! Really nice tale…
charlesmashburn said
Yep. Live hard and love with all your might. A recipe for some mighty fine living, if you ask me.
Lyn said
This weaves such a tale..like a myth..Someone who didn’t miss a beat..very touching!
charlesmashburn said
I wish I’d had more pictures to post with this. A recent computer crash left me without many close at hand. I have them, just need to put them on the new machine.
Thanks for the visit and nice comments!
Bodhirose said
I very loving tribute, Charles. I enjoyed getting to know your “Pa” a bit.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you so much. I bet you would have liked him!
Life: Between the lines said
Each time you write about him, I wish I had known him! Your love shines so much when you speak of him. A beautifully touching one as usual 🙂
charlesmashburn said
You would have liked him; almost everyone did. Yes, my love foor him shines and never dims. He was very special to me.
Thanks so much for the visit and comments!
thingy said
Beautiful. Love the photos. : )
charlesmashburn said
Wanted to put more, but still in the process of recovering all fro my backup hard drive.
Thanks for the visit and comment!
Andy said
Hello Charles.
What a beautiful tribute to your Pa.
There’s always that special someone in the family who everyone looks up to and loves to be around just to hear his/her stories of the good old days.
Your love and respect for your Pa is evident…proof that “love cannot die at the doorsteps of death”.
Absolutely lovely. Thanks so much for sharing.
charlesmashburn said
Thanks, Andy! I appreciate your visit and wonderful comments very much!
elainedanforth said
A nice remembrance. Living big and coming back home. Beautiful rhythm and images.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, Elaine! Your visit and pleasing comments are very much appreciated!
PhotoDiction said
A wonderful tribute to one that belonged in a distinctive generation, the likes of which might not be seen again. I couldn’t help but think of this set to a wonderful country tune. But then, songs were written so readily about men like you describe, weren’t they?
charlesmashburn said
I think it would make a nice ballad. A Tom T Hall type thing. Not that I’m in Tom T’s league as a writer.
And, yes, lots of songs about men like Bunk. He wasn’t special in the eyes of the world; just his family.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments. Very much appreciated!
J Sirrah said
Hello Charles.This is the winner:)
What a ride and filled with pride..I enjoyed each word and they provoked thoughts.Wonderful Sir.
Blessed Be
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for the visit and wonderful comments!
geezergirl1 said
I loved it. cowboy poetry. and what a tribute to your grandfather. thanks. jeanne
charlesmashburn said
Yes’m, I reckon it is cowboy poetry. I’m glad you took a shine to it, and I’m much obliged for the kind words!
Jingle said
detailed and vivid, well done…
charlesmashburn said
Thanks, Jingle! I appreciate your visit and coments!
Shawn Bird said
We’re both tuned into the older generation this week! What a lot of stories Bunk must have had! My father was 89 when we had to evacuate them for this fire. It was awful to see his frustration over how helpless he was to contribute.
Thanks for visiting my potluck contribution at http://shawnbird.com/2011/08/09/okanagan-mountain-fire-evacuation-august-2003/
charlesmashburn said
I can imagine the frustration you describe. Bunk lived the last years of his life unable to speak, and it broke my heart to look into the eys of that great story-teller, knowing how much he wanted to say. Aw, man… why did I go and think about that…
Thanks for the visit and wonderful comments, Shawn!
danroberson said
Beautiful tribute to a man who loved fiercely and went about life like it was worth living. That was a time when a man’s word and his handshake, either of them, meant the value of the man. Thanks for sharing.
charlesmashburn said
You are so right, Dan. A time when telling the truth was expected and not a surprise.
Thanks for the visit and great comments!
Ankoku Hikaru said
Wow, Bravo, just wow. I don’t know if it’s the fact that this is about someone that you actually know, or just the way it’s written, but that was beautiful, in a different way than I see beauty, Well Done. ^^
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for the visit and those awesome comments and compliments. I appreciate them very much!
duncancleary said
Very musical, this would be a great song also, I think.
charlesmashburn said
I’ve thought about making a song out of it. I just need to learn to play guitar!
Thanks for the visit and comment!
Laurie Kolp said
I love this tribute to your grandpa. What part of Texas was he from? (That’s where I live).
charlesmashburn said
He lived in the Panhandle–Fritch and Borger, but I think his cowboy days were spent down around the Brownwood, Graham, and Possum Kingdom areas. I was born in Borger; live in College Station now.
Thanks for the visit and comment!
Manoj Kewalramani said
Loved it! The wonders and joy of living a full life 🙂 really beautiful…
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, Manoj! Your visit and thoughtful comments are very much appreciated!
Hema said
What a wonderful ride indeed! That was very sweet and you took us along so well. Very touching ending also.
Thanks for sharing.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you very much, Hema! I do like to think my Pa had a wonderful ride through this life. I know he had heartaches and dissapointments, as well, but I prefer to remember his happy times. Most all of those times were with his family.
I truly appreciate your wonderful comments and compliments. I hope you will stop by and read again soon.
pandamoniumcat said
This is a lovely tribute. Bunk Stringer sounds like a real cowboy name and I am glad he had one hell of a ride…that’s all you can ask from this world. Well done!
charlesmashburn said
Even later in life he was a real cowboy, in the sense that he was one of the good guys. An honest, hard-working, man who loved his family.
Thank you for visiting and commenting. Do come by again!
Rekha said
This is sheer awesomeness…like a bard’s tale..I bet he is grinning from ear to ear where he is now.
charlesmashburn said
I like to think he is grinning as he watches me tell his story and the many others I write.
Your comment/compliment–“sheer awesomeness”– is wonderful!
Thanks for the visit, and I hope you will come back again.
Kellie Elmore said
Now this is good stuff right here! Consider me a fan! Nice penning, poet! 🙂
charlesmashburn said
Alrighty then! I like fans! Thanks, Kellie!
pure2core said
Even I miss my grandparents, who had backed me up in teen, with wonderful stories and moral ethics, love and care…such a wonderful piece of poetry Sir, thanks for sharing…
charlesmashburn said
Grandparents are awesome–mine were, anyway.
Thanks for the visit, comment, and compliment!
manicddaily said
What lovely pictures (in words and photos.) Congrats.
charlesmashburn said
Thnaks so much for visiting and commenting. Come back again!
The Oldstrong said
Brilliant poem a lovely tribute to your grandfather, paints a vivid image of a World very alien to me living on the other side of the World in London. Sure sounds like he did indeed have a hell of a ride.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you! I’m sure it is quite a strange picture to someone from across the pond. It is still very reaal to me, as I live n Texas and can still see cowboys on the open range occasionally.
I appreciate your visit and awesome comments and compliments!
booguloo said
What a nice tribute.
charlesmashburn said
Thanks so much. Your visit and comments are always appreciated.
johnewordslinger said
Heartfelt, I can sense the closeness. What’s great to me is the freedom, and the days that use to be, as a fellow rider myself, this is admired. Im a Kentucky/Tennessee man, so I love to ride, love the poem, and the title fits, thank you, much appreciated, WS
charlesmashburn said
It was written from the heart, John. And, yes, it is sad to look back on those days and know they will never return.
Thanks so much for the visit and wonderful comments!
Pat Cegan said
Just wonderful! Thank you for sharing this. Hugs, pat
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for reading and commenting!
kristina danielle said
Well done! Thank you for providing me with the link!
Bravo & cheers!
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for the visit and comments on the poem, Kristina.
Thank you, also, for the comment regarding providing the link. Another WordPress blogger asked her commenters to provide their link in their comments, and it struck me as a good idea. Thought I’d start doing it, and as long as no one has any objections, continue to do it on all my WordPress comments. Glad to see you approve of it! Thanks!
Derek said
This one is the most fitting for the theme I have seen. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing some of the stories of your past. You certainly still have the lust to roam the mind!
charlesmashburn said
Thanks for the awesome comments, Derek. Very much appreciated!
Rhyme Me a Smile said
Awwww, what a lovely poem. He sounds like a great man.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for the visit and comment. And, yes, he was.