Sad News on Dave Austin (with link to tribute page I just found out about) - Andrea Dietrich's Blog

Dave Austin, known to friends here at Soup as Daver, passed away after being rushed to ER with stomach problems on June 3 of this year. I am only hearing of it today, and I was informed of this by friend Carolyn Devonshire, who used to call and talk to him every Saturday during football season. She told me they were both football fans, so she was in shock to call him today when HIS favorite team won, and it was today that Carolyn was informed by Daver's wife that Daver was deceased.

There is nothing we can do. At first I did not know about this page where you can pay tribute and offer your condolences. Here is the link to his Life Tributes page established by the family: http://http://www.wakemanfuneralhome.com/obituaries/David-Austin-9/.

This blog is just to inform everyone who knew him that he has left this world. He was (he IS) a dear soul He once was a musician in a symphony and  also had been a teacher. I know little else to say except that he was a very good poet and friend who lived 87 years and he is survived by his wife and son. I feel bad that I had not visited his poetry in over three months' time to realize that something must be very wrong. It was last year that I did a blog for him reporting to everyone that he was having health issues. He had wanted his friends to understand why he was not commenting. Then he had come back, but  as usual, life rushed past me and I did not stop to think, "Where is Daver?"  My condolences to Mrs. Austen, should she see this announcement.

Here is Daver's last poem posted at Soup. I recall he was growing very reflective in his past few years of life. This poem well portrays the type of poetry he was writing in his last days:

INNOCENCE

INNOCENCE

Once a child…
The thought elicits a slight    warm smile
And I sit   falling back   for a while

Metamorphosis is gradual
Yet    when clearing is realized -
      what a strange revelization of self
 
With easy   ignorant    aspirations –
That so small  self
Being molded       shaped

Recognition is quick…   but  
Content?...    Happy? …   Angry?...    Sad?
What makes me tick?

Mainly    well at least partially
It must be expectations,,,   expectations?
YES!

And all the developed conflicts surface
Flood my imagination…    imagination?
YES!
Oh   I was a dreamer
A prestidigitator 
Of scenarios

With no thought of reality
(Reality contains an element of hope
Hope is universal) (Everyone knows that)

Coming – to
I shake my head
A head filled with chaos
 
I was a happy child
Now thanking God
For childhood innocence

Dave Austin

Here is the link to another poem Cyndi found to commemorate Daver, a poem of his which I too find very beautiful.:https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/autumn_at_hand_711325