Cleveland England - a Tribute

They will read my poem and wonder "Who is this?" But I knew you better Than any who will search and blunder Harnessed to their finite, mortal fetter You are gone, no longer restrained And cumbered by time's clay palace The sprite and child in you sustained Through life, and without carnal malice. I too laughed in your shadow, you pure Bringer and giver of joy, humanity Was excellent in you. Now no more The pranks and wise and silly empathy No more the driver of the penny cab The dreamer, mariner of imagination The void unfilled, the sad poet must sob Man's coming and our senseless termination Was it not for heaven and hope invisible We reprised in songs again and again You saw that in your doctrines legible As a star that writes in light balms of pain I love the fun in which you held faith Against the trivial mountains of our life I shall miss you driving through the gate Eyes twinkling with tales for the anxious wife. Flankers has lost a citizen, earth a man Our children a father of compassion And love the vivid vassel of its plan. There was a Cleveland England this emotion Rises like a river for, there was a friend And counselor, a listener, and cheery heart O life, how dread in us that death contend With you, and we are ever torn apart!