Dear Friend
For The Late Maurice Callard
Dear friend it has been a long time
since I last spoke to you.
Sadly, I will never get that chance again.
You are gone now,
sitting at God’s side.
While you were here,
you were my tutor,
my surrogate father and my friend.
I remember our first meeting
so very vividly.
You headed up a class of five
and the year was 1976.
For the next 17 years or so,
you became the lifeblood of me.
I remember how you patiently
guided me through each novel that I wrote.
Proclaiming that I got better with each one.
Too bad the publishers never saw it that way.
However, you never let me get discouraged by that.
There is always the next one you would say.
You called me your good luck charm
as every class I attended
always seemed to be a good one.
I made many friends thanks to you.
Just before your health started failing
we got together and gave a night to you.
They asked me to speak about you.
I abandoned the script I had written
and just recollected the happy years that we had.
In a year or so, you were gone
with one wish left behind.
For nearly 14 years,
I carried that wish with me.
Then finally I got a chance to fulfil it
and your last wish came true.
It was paying back only a small measure
of what you had given me.
Of those five students you had in 1976
two have been granted
the success you wished on them.
One became a renown novelist
and the other a poet - me.
Dear friend you may be gone
but you are not forgotten
by me or anyone
who was touched by your generosity.
2 April 2009
poem by David Harris
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Related quotes
In Loving Memory
A long time ago,1976 to be exact
a friend said I should go along
to a writing class he had joined.
Therefore, I did and met someone,
who was to change my life.
However, I did not know it at the time.
For the first couple of years he was simply my tutor.
However, as the years rolled on,
he became my mentor,
and most of all my friend.
For every year, we knew one another
the friendship grew stronger than before.
Before I met Maurice,
he had published four novels
and I have every one.
He started with A City Called Holy,
next came The Splendour and the Havoc,
and then The World and the Flesh,
and finally Across the Frontier.
He also wrote plays,
produced, directed and acted
in them with his wife Peggy.
When I met him his books
were out of print,
but through the years,
I found them one by one.
After a friendship that lasted
over seventeen years Maurice died.
However just before he passed away,
he told me how his local library
had approached him, wanting to know
if he had any copies of his books,
as they only had one left.
He did not and felt sadly about that.
As he told me, I made a promise to myself.
Not matter how long it took,
or how much it would cost,
his local library would have,
those books of his they did not have.
More than ten years passed from the time of his death,
until I was finally able to fulfil my promise.
I collected through the years
the books the library was missing.
In January 2006, I presented them to his local library.
It was a way of saluting a special friend,
helping keep his name alive.
I did it because of the special gifts,
through the years he gave me.
His friendship, his knowledge and help
with my writing no one had ever given before.
Therefore, any success
that I may ever achieve
can be contributed to him.
A gentleman of words,
my tutor, my mentor,
and lastly a very kind and special friend.
(For the late Maurice Callard)
poem by David Harris
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A Lasting Friendship
For Betty Burton
A friend for over thirty years.
It is funny just how time slips away.
It only seems like yesterday
when the two of us met,
long, long ago in 1976.
It was in September of that year
a friend persuaded me
to go along to a writing class
to help boost up the numbers
and my moral.
With just four pupils
and five when I came along,
so a small intimate group
all with the desire to write,
but Betty became
the most famous of us all
with over thirteen
historical romantic bestsellers.
She really has made her name.
I am proud to say
I was there when she began.
I remember when
she had her first short story published
it was a treat to us all.
If Betty could do it
then there was some hope for us all.
She even started teaching
and I was a guest speaker
at one of her classes,
and as the years passed on by,
we met up with one another
very occasionally,
but what remained
even to this day
was a lasting friendship.
About that
there is nothing more to say.
17 January 2007
poem by David Harris
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Dear Old Friend
Dear old friend,
How far back does your memory span?
does it go through last year?
or before marching band?
Do you remember nail fights
do you remember seeing me cry?
do you remember not seeing me after
do you remember understanding why?
Do you remember cuddle puddles?
Do you remember the tickle war?
do you remember stealing my stuff
and then trying to get back from you on the floor?
Do you remember when you were to high to stand?
do you remember me being there until i could be sure you were okay?
do you remember competitions we went to
playing a rigged game of cards along the way?
do you remember how much fun we had?
do you remember when it ended?
when nome left and things fell apart
making us do things that offended?
I remember
I remember a time when I was at peace
I remember being happy all the time
i remember your hugs
that always felt sublime.
I remember our friendship
I remember what you said
I remember this year that
is now gone and quite dead
oh my dear old friend
what has happened in this year?
what has made things change so
that I am not considered by you a peer?
well there is little
more for me to say
now that I'm done
I'll go away
just think about
the things said here
and know at least
I still hold you dear
My dear old friend
poem by Jack Harris
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A Promise Made
We have heard many times of people
making promises they never keep.
This is not one of them.
He made a promise silently to himself
to fulfil the last wish a dying man.
He knew not how long it would take him
that promise to fulfil.
However, years went by one after the other.
Still he intended that promise to fulfil
even if it took a lifetime.
Ten years passed and still he remembered
always saying to himself
in the next he would do it.
Finally eleven years after his friend’s death
he was able that promise to fulfil.
In the fulfilment, he gained himself
what he had sought for more years
than he cared to remember.
It was as if his friend was thanking him.
For that promise, he never forgot and kept.
This story is true as I am that person
who made that promise
and fulfilled it not so long ago.
poem by David Harris
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Brandon: Our Love Dog
You'll never be forgotton,
my dear pal of ours
many years ago of
poems you inspired
me to write.
Seven Happy years
you were with us,
so much tender
loving care we
gave to you.
Brandon you had special
magic about you,
can't explain, somehow
when I touched you,
all of my pain and sorrow
went away.
You were our love dog,
no doubt you were loved,
by all, as you also loved all.
So many bad things happened
to you on our walks, three
dog attacks, but once just me,
still have scar on my hand.
Remember the day, you were
hit by a car,
that really saved your life.
We took you to the
vet that night,
ex-rays showed a
pin from surgery in
your side, that had
been lodged, if not
removed you would
have died from
punture wounds,
the pin should have
been removed long
ago.
It was placed there
before we got you,
so one bad thing led
to a good thing.
You had a cat friend down
the street, that loved
you also, she would rub
against you with so
tender loving care.
Brandon our love dog
so many kisses you
gave us.
you used to dare
us to get your
biscuit, you would stare
at us, when we
tried to get
it you growled,
this went on
and on, till
finally you ate it.
Sometimes you would
go to hall closet
with your biscuit
I didn't know
where you were,
as I walked by
the closet you
would growl, it
was so funny.
Moths you loved
to chase, you
ate them so
many, even wrote
a poem called
the moth hound.
One very sad day,
in our life we
took you to the
vet for very
last time, you were so sick,
food you once loved,
you now refused,
pain you had all
through your frail
little body.
On Friday night,
June 13,1997 you
had such a hard
time breathing
you had to sleep
sitting up.
Seven happy years
you were with us,
so much tender
loving care you
had for us and we
for you.
On Saturday June 14,1997
while most Americans,
were remembering flag day,
we were saying
goodbye to our
true faithful friend.
Amy and I waited
in that fateful room
with you, saying our
last goodbyes to you.
The Vet entered the room,
asked us if we were
ready, are you ever ready
to say goodbye
to a love one.
Seven years with us,
but only 30 seconds and
you were gone.
We touched you and felt
life leaving your
beautiful little body.
Ten years later,
we still miss you
little guy and
love you very much,
our very own
love dog.
wrote 2-14-07
On Receiving A Christmas Card From Nora
A Christmas card from a friend far away
It takes me back again to boyhood day
She was a woman when I was young boy
Some forty years ago how time does fly.
She was a good friend to our family
And nice to know she still remember me
A friend and neighbour of the very best
And one of the kindest souls of Millstreet West.
That Christmas card from Nora took me far away
Back home to Millstreet Town and Claraghatlea
And Christmas was a special time of year
A time of Santa, Christmas fun and cheer.
A Christmas card from friend of years ago
And no friend like old friend we used to know
And a card from dear friend is a gift of joy
And it took me back to when I was a boy.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Thirteen Years
Thirteen years of pencils and paper
Thirteen years of “I'll do it later”
Thirteen years of homework and classes
Thirteen years of fails and passes
Thirteen years have gone by so fast
And it's finally our year of last
Thirteen years of enemies and friends
Our memories that will never end
Thirteen years of growing up
Relying off of chance and luck
Changing our hair and our clothes
Making our decisions based off shows
Thirteen years preparing for our lives
For our future successful tries
For our almost guaranteed mistakes
And the friends we are sure to make
Thirteen years and now thirteen more
Traveling from shore to shore
Separating from our family and friends
Moving on and on again and again
Good Luck to us all, wherever we go
May we always have pride, and let it show
For our origins of HHS
Class of 2011 will always be the best!
poem by Cheylee Miller
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Early Works - Tooter
For Maurice Callard
The Great Gatsby in his forte
from the old man’s tears
to a group twinkling in the garden.
Alas, this is not my exercise,
I am supposing to big head the tooter.
I am supposing to what?
Oh yes, what he represents to me.
Well, let me see
a fellow author, a good-looking fellow.
Yes, I would agree with these.
Now what about his bad points?
You say he hasn’t any.
Well just one or two.
What are they you ask?
You cannot think of any at the moment.
Well, never mind we’ll discuss the good points in some depth.
A fellow author.
Well, yes, he is good in fact,
some might even say quite brilliant.
A good-looking fellow.
Well, with the romantic look of Robert Redford
and ruggedness of Clint Eastwood
need I say anymore?
A good teacher,
I don’t think there are any complaints.
Look, I’ve been going for five years,
but maybe I’m a slow learner!
A very helpful fellow.
Yes, I would agree with this.
I agree with anything,
but above all my comedy
and jest my work purposes.
I find him a good friend and honest critic
no author could ask for more.
25 March 1981
Authors Note:
This was written tongue-in-cheek about my good friend for nearly twenty years. When I read this out at one of his classes, everyone had a good laugh including Maurice himself. To me he was not only a teacher, friend but at times a surrogate father as my own father had no time for my writing. Although he is no longer with us all who knew him, miss him.
poem by David Harris
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An Old Man's Wish
As I listened to a song tonight
entitled An Old Man's Wish,
it started me remembering
of an old man I knew long ago
and one of his last wishes
he would never see fulfilled.
Of all his friends' only one
would take the time and years
to follow that wish through.
More than ten years would slip away,
but that wish was never forgotten.
Then finally, one day it was fulfilled,
the old man would have been delighted
had he been around to see
the conclusion of the quest
that took twelve years to fulfil.
This story I have told is true,
I know, as I am that friend
who made an old man's wish
eventually come true.
2 October 2012
poem by David Harris
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My Dear Friend
you have been there for me no matter what
you have pick me up when i fall down
my dear friend
you are the reason why i am still alive
you are the reason why i can love again
because of you i have the strength to fight against enemies
you understand the pain i'm going through
you make me stand up on my feet
my dear friend
you have always there waiting for my call
you have always put a smile on my face when i feel sad
my dear friend
what would i do without you
who would i be without you
you never avoided me like everybody else
god drift us apart
we no longer see each other face again
my dear friend
everything seems different and harder when you're here
my tears are like waterfall
they keep on falling
my dear friend
please come back into my life
holding hands in the darkness
sing our favorite song until we fall asleep
my dear friend
let finish what we has started together
alone it will take years
my dear friend
you fight my fight
you got my back
my dear friend
how could i thank you
what should i do to please you
oh my dear, dear friend
it is a pleasure to have you as a friend
thank you my dear, dear friend
poem by Guenael Oristel
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Early Works - Old Friend, New Times
Face?
I’ve seen it somewhere before
.
When?
In the distance long ago.
Who?
Someone who used to visit me.
Friend?
Almost positive a friend of a kind.
Speak.
“Hello stranger, how are you? ”
Surprise.
“Haven’t we met somewhere before? ”
Nod.
“Oh, yes, now let me see.”
Years.
“My how they have changed us both.”
Remember.
“All those good time that we had.”
Memories.
“Vaguely in the long dim past.”
Drink?
“Not tonight I’m afraid.”
Goodbye.
“Been nice to see you.”
Au revoir.
“Yes, we’ll have to meet again.”
10 June 1979
Author’s note.
This piece reveals the feelings of a meeting with an old friend whom I had not seen in eleven years.
poem by David Harris
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Our Oldest Friend
I GIVE you the health of the oldest friend
That, short of eternity, earth can lend,--
A friend so faithful and tried and true
That nothing can wean him from me and you.
When first we screeched in the sudden blaze
Of the daylight's blinding and blasting rays,
And gulped at the gaseous, groggy air,
This old, old friend stood waiting there.
And when, with a kind of mortal strife,
We had gasped and choked into breathing life,
He watched by the cradle, day and night,
And held our hands till we stood upright.
From gristle and pulp our frames have grown
To stringy muscle and solid bone;
While we were changing, he altered not;
We might forget, but he never forgot.
He came with us to the college class,--
Little cared he for the steward's pass!
All the rest must pay their fee,
Put the grim old dead-head entered free.
He stayed with us while we counted o'er
Four times each of the seasons four;
And with every season, from year to year,
The dear name Classmate he made more dear.
He never leaves us,--he never will,
Till our hands are cold and our hearts are still;
On birthdays, and Christmas, and New-Year's too,
He always remembers both me and you.
Every year this faithful friend
His little present is sure to send;
Every year, wheresoe'er we be,
He wants a keepsake from you and me.
How he loves us! he pats our heads,
And, lo! they are gleaming with silver threads;
And he 's always begging one lock of hair,
Till our shining crowns have nothing to wear.
At length he will tell us, one by one,
'My child, your labor on earth is done;
And now you must journey afar to see
My elder brother,--Eternity!'
And so, when long, long years have passed,
Some dear old fellow will be the last,--
Never a boy alive but he
Of all our goodly company!
When he lies down, but not till then,
Our kind Class-Angel will drop the pen
That writes in the day-book kept above
Our lifelong record of faith and love.
So here's a health in homely rhyme
To our oldest classmate, Father Time!
May our last survivor live to be
As bald and as wise and as tough as he!
poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes
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I Have A Friend
I have a friend who cannot walk
I have a friend all he does is talk
I have a friend, Philippe is his name
I have a friend and we are just the same
I have a friend he’s seventeen years old
I have a friend who has a heart of gold
I have a friend who would catch me if I fall
It is only that he has no legs at all
I have a friend and when my friend was seven
A car ran over him and he almost went to heaven
I have a friend with a smile that I adore
I have a friend who lives in a house of four
I have a friend his family is his home
I have a friend who dreams of visiting Rome
I have a friend who is still finishing school
Yet some people tell him that for that he is a fool
I have a friend they say he is disabled
He has no legs and for that he is labeled
I have a friend who has a friend
They were made for each other; their love will never end
I have a friend who likes to name the stars
I have a friend and what he hates is cars
I have a friend who’s happier than you and me
I have a friend who’s shown me how happy I can be
I have a friend who’s had his bad times too
I have a friend who’s better than me and you
I have a friend so dear to me and kind
That another one like him I shall never find!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
You Picked Me Up
You picked me up not so long ago
gave me a reason to carry on.
You gave me hope and determination
when I thought all that was gone.
You had the drive I had the ambition
and you urged me every step along the way,
but now I am losing you
and I am so far away.
I know I cannot get back to you
before the Lord takes you away.
I can only sit and worry
at what you are going through.
My heart stretches out across the miles
hoping it could be there
to comfort you as a friend
when you need comfort the most.
Heaven is calling out for you
to take you away from family and friends
and I can only sit here and remember
how you picked me up not so long ago.
9 April 2012
Author's Note:
This was written for a good friend who lives in Canada and I went to school with and who is now dying of cancer. She got me back into writing again five years ago.
poem by David Harris
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Dear Friend
Dear friend,
Today I turn the pages of our memories
Those laughter and tears
That we have shared for more many years
Those secrets that we hide
Underneath the cherry tree
These photographs I held, and
I used to smile every time I looked at them
Dear friend,
I've been to the place were we first met
It’s the same old, and new, nothing has changed
Like an old book with precious stories
Every page has a wonderful thing to say
Like a laughter that remains on air
They’re sounds music in my ear
A symphony of our yesterday
Dear friend,
I plow our memories that blanket by autumn leaves
On this mango tree
And its branches look so droopy
But there’s a last leaf-standing firm on a trunk
That forgotten, as the time goes by
Like this friendship buried from the shadow of past
Thou I know it will never last
Dear friend,
Remember the summer skies
Those butterflies that landed in our hands
The kites that we ever flew
In these green fields of our childhood memory
We were children once before
When the trees were tall and we were small
And now we are tall and the trees fall
Dear friend,
Autumn was come
And the leaves started to fall
I can’t count the hours, how long I've stood here
Waiting for your presence
That you have promised you will come
The wind whistle like your soft voice
I feel the heavenly touch on my face
Dear friend,
You never told me that you are leaving
Together with the clouds that passed by
Together with the angels that flew into the sky
Like the waters that flow freely back to the sea
Like a wind that danced on its own
But your soul still live inside of me
You will always be my special memory
Dear friend,
I wrote you a letter sealed with my tears
Saying take care, I miss our funny deeds
Id rather be sad
And my heart is in grief
But somehow I’ll be happy then
That once in my life I had you as my friend
Dear friend, you will always be my best friend
poem by Cheryl Aldea
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What It Takes To Be A Good Friend
A good friend is always kind,
Should always speak their mind,
Their compassion should never end,
That's what it takes to be a good friend.
A good friend is there for you,
They are real, they are true- blue,
Their compassion should never end,
That's what it takes to be a good friend.
A good friend will be there when you marry,
A heart full of memories, they will carry,
Their compassion should never end,
That's what it takes to be a good friend.
They'll be there if your father dies,
They'll weep with you when you cry,
Their compassion should never end,
That's what it takes to be a good friend.
If a good friend you do find,
Make sure they treat you kind,
Understanding they shouldn't lack,
And they would never stab you in the back,
On top of everything always remember,
A best friend is forever.
poem by Brianna Eldridge
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Who Is Your Best Friend?
Everybody needs friends, we all have friends
Some friends are closer to us than our families
If we happen to fall, there are friends to pick us up
What will our life be without friends?
There are many categories of friendship
There are casual friends, bad friends and good friends
The question here is – who is your best friend?
Friends who can turn your tears into laughter
Is your wife your best friend?
I mean the friend you go to
When you need honest advice
Is your husband your best friend?
I mean the friend who knows you
More than you know yourself
Is your brother or sister your best friend?
I mean the friend who always assists you
To solve difficult personal problems
Is your father or mother your best friend?
I mean the friend you feel safe to keep secrets
Are your in-laws your best friend?
I mean the friend you can tell anything
Is your boss or co-worker your best friend?
I mean the friend who can cover you up at work
Is your son or daughter your best friend?
I mean the friend you use as sounding board
For all your confidential and private thoughts
Is your former classmate your best friend?
I mean the friend who cheers you up on bad days
Whoever may be your best friend, remember that
A friend in need is always a friend indeed
poem by Julius Babarinsa
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Eve
Detdicated to Eve Croft
May she Rest In Peace
It was over forty years ago
when I first met her.
I had barely left my teens.
She was older than me;
in fact, she was a friend’s mother.
Divorce had left her lonely
with three sons to bring up.
Life was not easy,
not much time to herself.
Slowly after meeting her,
a friendship between us grew.
To make her life sustainable
I took her out
from time to time.
We held hands at the pictures
and when we went anywhere.
She often worried
what people would think of me.
I didn’t really care what people thought.
Eve was a friend
and there was nothing more to be said.
For the next couple of years
our friendship never wavered.
We would hug and smile
whenever we did meet.
There was never any romance involved,
we were just very good friends.
I never forget when she had an offer
to move in with someone.
She was so worried
that I would think badly of her.
She was almost in tears
when she told me his proposition.
I put my arm around her shoulder
and reassured her it was all right.
That our friendship would never diminish
regardless what she did.
Sadly, her going away
was never meant to be.
She fell ill with cancer
and went to live with her sister
who would care for her.
It was the last time
I was ever to see her.
It was a few years later
I bumped into her eldest son.
When I asked him about his mum
he looked at me strangely
with tears holding back I his eyes.
She died I thought you knew.
I said that I didn’t.
He said he couldn’t stop
as he had a bus to catch,
and then he was gone.
With head bowed, I turned away
and started walking home.
Tears leaked from my eyes
making small lines across my cheeks.
My regret then and will always be
that I never had a chance
to say a proper goodbye.
1 January 2008
poem by David Harris
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A Tried Friend, A True Friend
A friend for you and a friend for me,
A friend to understand;
To cheer the way and help the day
With heart as well as hand:
With heart as well as hand, my dear,
And share the things we 've planned
A tried friend, a true friend,
A friend to understand!
A friend for you and a friend for me,
A friend to hear our call,
When, wrong or right, we wage the fight
With backs against the wall!
With backs against the wall, my dear,
When hope is like to fall
A tried friend, a true friend,
A friend to hear our call!
A friend for you and a friend for me,
To share with us that day
When our ship comes back and naught we lack
Of all for which men pray!
Of all for which men pray, my dear,
That long has gone astray
A tried friend, a true friend,
To share with us that day!
Oh, side by side, on roads untried,
Two souls may better speed
Than one who goes the road he knows
With none to give him heed!
With none to give him heed, my dear,
And help when there is need
A tried friend, a true friend,
A friend, a friend indeed!
poem by Madison Julius Cawein
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One Day Less
Happy anniversary baby
the years are rushing by us
your more beautiful today
Then we walked down the aisle
And I know im not good at this
What I'm trying to say is
Having you stand beside me
has made my life worth while
One true friend is what you've always been to me
One true friend is what I always wanted to be
To have someone love you
Thats true happiness
May you live to be a 100
May I live one day less
There were times when we scraped by
A year or two and it was rough
I love you more for what we went through
And never stopped beliving in us
And I know I'm one of the lucky ones
I couldnt ask for anything more
Cause you can have all the money you'll ever need
and spend your life looking for
One true friend is what you've always been to me
One true friend is what I always wanted to be
To have someone love you
Thats true happiness
May you live to be a 100
May I live one day less
I couldn't live without you
If I had to be alone
I'll be waiting on the other side
When you find your way home
To One true friend is what you've always been to me
One true friend is what I always wanted to be
To have someone love you
Thats true happiness
May you live to be a 100
May I live one day less
song performed by by John Michael Montgomery
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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