Glorious Memories
Sitting in Moe Fine’s
Ice Cream Emporium
on Flatbush Avenue
after Hannah McGill’s funeral
I said, “So many teachers passed away
the last nineteen years...not the same.”
“Remember Vinnie Weed? ” asked Henry F
“Funny guy
hadn’t thought of him in awhile.”
“Never forget, never
all the years
he wore that cheap mat on his head
and nobody said a word
everyone knew
not a word.”
“Mabel Figgnat, ” I sighed.
“Lord, yes
recall when she almost
crushed me to a pancake
after she slipped on the applesauce
and landed on me? ”
“Thought you was a goner for sure
only thirty-three
when she passed
think she wanted to kill herself
after her husband passed away
eating two dozen jelly donuts a day
with a heart condition.”
“NEVER THINK SUCH A THOUGHT
ABOUT MABEL, ” thundered Henry F.
I quickly said,
“Jacob Friedman.”
“His wife a shrink
but didn’t do him much good
man talked
but never made sense. What a guy! ”
“Huh? ”
“Don’t you see, Bernstein? His cuckooness
added to the flavor
of the stew.”
“Sam Greenbaum, ” I sighed;
“THE LAST HIPPIE, ” exploded Henry F,
“wish he was back with us
always had a joke to tell.”
“Matilda Frisby, ” I blurted out.
“And Mary Eato, ” chuckled Henry F.
“No more
no more names
my heart hurts.”
“God is good, ” said Henry F.
“You’re an atheist
how many times you said
God and Hitler
could never exist in the same Universe.”
“Not today when
a dear friend
journeys into the Great Beyond.”
“The Almighty don’t allow
a part-time believer.”
“You can’t figure out what God thinks
nobody has such understanding
else they’d be wise as Him
and there ain’t not a person on Earth like that
yes, my friend,
all the departed souls are up there,
looking at us
hearing what we say
a great comfort it is.”
“You’ve been an atheist for nineteen years! ”
“Not today!
Today I know in my heart
the whole of Creation
moves toward
the Perfection of Heaven.”
poem by Charles Chaim Wax
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Related quotes
Come On Henry
Come on Henry she said
come up and see me some
time but Henry said sorry
dame but I can't today it's
just not possible the wife's
coming back from the shops
and you know what wives are
like and she said oh come
on Henry that's not stopped
you before climbing the stairs
and knocking my door oh that
was for sugar or was it coffee?
Henry said I cannot recall oh
heck Henry don't be such a bore
you've been to my bed many
times before oh Honey don't
be so with me now I got to be
careful the wife's in a mood
the neighbours are talking they
twitch their curtains and peek
through blinds oh to hell with
them she said they've filthy old
minds oh listen baby maybe
tomorrow when the wife's away
I‘ll come borrow some sugar or
coffee or whatever you like and
share your bed you'll come now
Henry or not come at all the young
dame said oh come on sugar give
me a break let me come another
time and I will bring flowers and
chocolates and love and my body
hot ok she said if you promise me
such I'll cut to a break not for you
or your body but my heart's sake.
poem by Terry Collett
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Please, Mrs. Henry
Well, i've already had two beers
I'm ready for the broom
Please, missus henry, won't you
Take me to my room?
I'm a good ol' boy
But i've been sniffin' too many eggs
Talkin' to too many people
Drinkin' too many kegs
Please, missus henry, missus henry, please!
Please, missus henry, missus henry, please!
I'm down on my knees
An' i ain't got a dime
Well, i'm groanin' in a hallway
Pretty soon i'll be mad
Please, missus henry, won't you
Take me to your dad?
I can drink like a fish
I can crawl like a snake
I can bite like a turkey
I can slam like a drake
Please, missus henry, missus henry, please!
Please, missus henry, missus henry, please!
I'm down on my knees
An' i ain't got a dime
Now, don't crowd me, lady
Or i'll fill up your shoe
I'm a sweet bourbon daddy
An' tonight i am blue
I'm a thousand years old
And i'm a generous bomb
I'm t-boned and punctured
But i'm known to be calm
Please, missus henry, missus henry, please!
Please, missus henry, missus henry, please!
I'm down on my knees
An' i ain't got a dime
Now, i'm startin' to drain
My stool's gonna squeak
If i walk too much farther
My crane's gonna leak
Look, missus henry
There's only so much i can do
Why don't you look my way
An' pump me a few?
Please, missus henry, missus henry, please!
Please, missus henry, missus henry, please!
I'm down on my knees
An' i ain't got a dime
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The boy and the apple tree
Once there was a boy who used to play under an apple tree
He played so happily that it was a joy to see
As he grew old, he got bore of playing alone
Toys and gadgets he desired to be his own
So, under the apple tree the boy muttered
‘Tree can you give me toys I now desire? ’
‘Toys I don’t have, my boy, ’ the tree replied
‘But my fruits you can sell to get your toys.’
So the boy took the fruits and went away
The tree waited for his return day after day
Many years had passed and the boy got older
He married a girl to be his wife and lover
The adult boy now needing a new house for his family
Went to the tree and asked for its advice earnestly
The tree glad to see him once again said
‘My branches will be sufficient to make your nest.’
To these words the adult boy listened
And took all the branches away with him
With these he constructed a house for his family
Where he lived for several years happily
One day, the boy now a fully mature adult thought
‘It will be wise to travel around and sail the sea across’
So, he went to the now old apple tree and asked
‘Tree, can you tell me, a boat, where I can get? ’
The tree which was happy to see him again sighed and said
‘Though I am old, my stem you may take if you want’
On hearing this, the guy cut the tree down
And made a large boat, which was fine and strong
Many years had passed and the guy now became an old man
Tired from his adventures across the sea and land
He went and saw the apple tree once again
Which was now but a stump nobody would want
The old stump on seeing the old man cried
‘My old boy what can I do for you this time’
The old man on hearing this softly replied
‘I just want to lean against you till the end of my life.’
poem by Henry Chen
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Loving Henry
Henry, Henry, do you love me?
Do I love you, Mary?
Oh, can you mean to liken me
To the aspen tree.
Whose leaves do shake and vary,
From white to green
And back again,
Shifting and contrary?
Henry, Henry, do you love me,
Do you love me truly?
Oh, Mary, must I say again
My love's a pain,
A torment most unruly?
It tosses me
Like a ship at sea
When the storm rages fully.
Henry, Henry, why do you love me?
Mary, dear, have pity!
I swear, of all the girls there are
Both near and far,
In country or in city,
There's none like you,
So kind, so true,
So wise, so brave, so pretty.
poem by Robert Graves
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Remember Me
Dear moments, dearest, stay please don't go
Don't let long hours kill my heart
Poor heart you need me here I know
I wish to stay yet I must go
Then I'll die without you
Come come future dear moments wait for you
It's Fate who bids not you not me
It's once together once apart
Now drie your tears take what I say
When I've gone here you can still keep me
Within your heart I'll live a memory
Days come and go
Years pass quickly
Today's faithful friend
Might tomorrow betray
When years've passed
When faces changed
Might you dear friend
Remember me!
poem by Eman Elbadawi
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The Best Bet On Chinaski - Better Day B-side
Henry took out all the wrong and never thought
Do you know what hed say, its a beautiful day
Henry took out all his money and found he had none
Do you know what hed say, its a beautiful day
And he would not buy the things that you were handing down
And he would not clear it off for you and leave you lying down
Henry found the love and he found it just today
Do you know what hed say, its beautiful day
Put my face in all the things that Ive never done
Do you know what hed say, its beautiful day
And he would not follow things that others said or done
And he would not follow things that you call everyone
cause henry found the note and he found it hard to give away
Do you know what hed say, its a beautiful thing
Bottled up a ticket to God knows where
Do you know what he said to the driver, its a beautiful day
And he would not follow things that you were handing down
And he would not buy the alternate news when the dogs were being drowned
cause henry found the love and he found it today
Do you know what hed say, its a beautiful thing
And you know what he knows, that its a beautiful day
And you know what hed say, that its a beautiful day
cause henry got it all and he found it just today
Do you know what hed say, its a beautiful day...
song performed by by Ocean Colour Scene
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Walter Henry Hagan
Walter, walter henry
I say walter henry hagan
You done gone and broke my heart
Walter, walter henry
You know that I believed you
When you swore wed never part
Well you said you had to have me
And well you dang well did
You took me from my country home
When I was just a kid
And you took me off to boston
Put a baby on my knee
Left me to dangle-dingle
So far from tennessee
Now patrick might have been one
But you aint been no saint
But a good ole irish boy
They say well always have this drink
And you just wont stop chasin
All those other woman around
A ramblin and agamblin
Throwin irish whiskey down
Walter, walter henry
Walter henry hagan
You dont listen when I call
Walter, walter henry
Of all the men Ive ever loved
I loved you best of all
Oh play one for ol walter henry boys
Walter, walter henry
Walter henry hagan
You done left your mark on me
Walter, walter henry
If you ever sober up
Im waitin back in tennessee
If you ever sober up
Im waitin back in tennessee
Walter, walter henry
Yoddle-le-ee-hee
Yoddle-le-ee-hee
Walter henry hagan
You done left your mark on me
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Henry and Woman Servicing
You don't want to go
With that kind of woman,
Henry's mother said.
What kind of woman
is that? Henry asked.
The kind that offer
themselves to men
who are not their
husbands, his mother
replied, sitting back
in the soft chair by
the fireplace, joining
her fingers, forming
what she used to call
her church. Henry watched
her church form of finger
forming, his eyes sliding
over his mother's dyed
hair, the grey streaks,
the nose, the thin red
painted lips. But isn't
that kind of women
providing a service?
Henry asked, walking
to the window, watching
his father mowing the
lawn, sweat on the brow,
the eyes dead looking.
Service? His mother said,
her tone icy, Service?
She repeated, that's not
service, Henry that's sin.
S.I.N. Henry raised his
eyebrows, there was in
the pocket of his pants,
a pack of fives, unused
as yet. Oh, Henry said,
Duncan Smold had this
woman in the back of
his car, he called it hard
smooching or some such
word. Henry's mother
eyed him closely, her eyes
narrowing. Then he sinned,
Henry, he sinned, she said,
pushing a hand through
her hair, her features going
red. Oh, right, Henry said,
I'll tell Duncan next time
he's in his car with some
woman in the back, that
he's sinning, Henry turned
away, he didn't want his
mother to see him grinning.
poem by Terry Collett
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To a Dead Mate
There's many a man who rides today
In the lonely, far out-back;
There's many a man who makes his way
On a dusty bushland track;
There's many a man in bush and town
Who mourns for a good mate gone;
There are eyes grown sad and heads cast down
Since Henry has passed on.
A mate he was, and a mate to love,
For mateship was his creed:
With a strong, true heart and a soul above
This sad world's sordid greed.
He lived as a mate, and wrote as a mate
Of the things which he believed.
Now many a good man mourns his fate,
And he leaves a nation grieved.
True champion he of the lame and halt:
True knight of the poor was he,
Who could e'er excuse a brother's fault
With a ready sympathy.
He suffered much, and much he toiled,
With his hand e'er for the right:
And he dreamed and planned while the billy boiled
In the bushland camp at night.
Joe Wilson and his mates are sad,
And the tears of bushwives fall,
For the kindly heart that Henry had
Had made him loved of all.
There's many a man who rides today,
Cast down and sore oppressed;
And thro' the land I hear them say:
'Pass, Henry, to your rest.'
poem by Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis
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Theo And Weird Henry
Written by John Mellencamp
Henry worked at Sears or somehwhere,
Theo did, too.
They both got themselves a van together;
Nineteen seventy-two, Ford.
Drove around all night long playing music very, very loud.
Big noise, all the time;
Little legends in a little town.
Moments of time they shared together.
Moments of time between two friends.
Standing on street corners with shirts unbuttoned.
There was a moment in time they swore they were friends to the end.
Couple of wild boys
They told me they could hear the grass grow.
Theo used to say, hey Henry, man,
I'm screwin' this cat.
You're just holdin' it.
I never knew what they was talking about
But they laughed like they both thought it was funny.
Theo and weird Henry went chasing after something
And neither one of them believing in nothing.
Moments in time they shared together,
Called themselves the
song performed by by John Mellencamp
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Hate Eating Alone In Public
I sat alone to eat at a restaurant today
For the first time in public today
I gotta say I hate eating alone
I used to ask total strangers to eat with me
And I would tell them that I would pay
So they would eat with me
This one guy must of thought I liked him
And that wasn't the case
I just wanted someone to eat with me
He gave me compliments
We had a great conversation
It was fun eating with him
Than I realized
He thought we were on a date
When he said
I never had a girl ask me out
But I didn't have the heart to tell him
I only asked him out to eat
Because I didn't want to eat alone in public
He asked for my number
So I gave him my number
But I never called him back
And if that had been a date
I would of called him back
But it wasn't a date
Now I'm sitting in a restaurant eating alone
And having all these people stare at me
And it make it worse they're all here with a date
And I'm eating here alone
Under The Black Skies
She is my friend
And she walks the street of Toronto with her husband and Mabel her Belog Dog under black skies
But the rain keeps falling down non stop
And poor Mabel gets wet from the rain
And my friend and her husband is wearing their raincoats amd they have Their umbrella open and they are holding it while they walk
But my friend and her husband and Mabel are the only people that are Walking in the streets of Toronto
Also I believe that the rain will clean the air today and will make it Easier for us to breath for once
poem by Aldo Kraas
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Theo & Weird Henry
Henry worked at sears or somehwhere,
Theo did, too.
They both got themselves a van together;
Nineteen seventy-two, ford.
Drove around all night long playing music very, very loud.
Big noise, all the time;
Little legends in a little town.
Moments of time they shared together.
Moments of time between two friends.
Standing on street corners with shirts unbuttoned.
There was a moment in time they swore they were friends to the end.
Couple of wild boys
They told me they could hear the grass grow.
Theo used to say, hey henry, man,
Im screwin this cat.
Youre just holdin it.
I never knew what they was talking about
But they laughed like they both thought it was funny.
Theo and weird henry went chasing after something
And neither one of them believing in nothing.
Moments in time they shared together,
Called themselves the he-man women lovers club,
Throwin pop bottles against the wall just to get some attention.
There was a moment in time they swore they were friends until the end.
Theos out there living it up doing a little earth shaking -somewhere.
Henry sent a postcard from a better place
But I can see them both sitting there laughing and breathing.
I can still see that smile on weird henrys face.
Moments in time they shared together,
Moments in time between two friends.
Dancing on that old van with their shirts wide open,
That was a moment in time they swore they were blood brothers until the end.
song performed by by John Mellencamp
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Old Year
IT PASSED like the breath of the night-wind away,
It fled like a mist at the dawn of the day;
It lasted its moment, then backward was hurled,
Another increase to the age of the world.
It passed with its shadows, its smiles and its tears,
It passed as a stream to the ocean of years;
Years that were coming—were here—and are o’er,
The ages departed to visit no more.
It passed, but the bark on its billowy track
Leaves an impression on waters aback:
The glow of the gloaming remains on the sky,
Unwilling to leave us—unwilling to die.
It fled; but away and away in its wake
There lingers a something that time cannot break.
The past and the future are joined by a chain,
And memories live that must ever remain.
poem by Henry Kendall
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The Life Of Mary O’Henry & Simon Le Frankie
Is life chance, or pre-ordained
Is life chance, or pre-ordained
Mary O’Henry,
Was born in a time when the world was at war
Nobody saw
Grew up an orphan
Struggling through life never knowing there’s more
Than being wretchedly poor
Oh life can hold so much pain
You wonder why it should be so
There but for the grace of God, walks another
In sullen steps that could have been you
Is life chance, or pre-ordained
(The life of Mary O’Henry & Simon Le Frankie)
Is life chance, or pre-ordained
(The life of Mary O’Henry & Simon Le Frankie)
Simon Le Frankie,
was born with a headline in the Times
a paradigm
he grew up wealthy
living his life to the full, life can be so good, I guess as it should
Oh life can be endless champagne
You wonder why it should be so
There but for the grace of God walks another
In graceful steps that could have been you
Is life chance, or pre-ordained
(The life of Mary O’Henry & Simon Le Frankie)
Is life chance, or pre-ordained
(The life of Mary O’Henry & Simon Le Frankie)
Mary O’Henry - Grew into a woman, working wherever she could
In places no woman should, luckless in Hollywood
Simon Le Frankie – wondered the world on a wave that trebled in size
Until he died – they died the same time
Atlas in turmoil
Life is choices made in a game
Who moves the pieces
Is life chance or pre-ordained
Is life chance, or pre-ordained
(The life of Mary O’Henry & Simon Le Frankie)
Is life chance, or pre-ordained
(The life of Mary O’Henry & Simon Le Frankie)
poem by Colin Coplin
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My Best Friend Danny
I met him in nineteen fifty-six
he was my best friend
him and I, was always in a fix
of our fights, we always did mend.
There was the time
we painted the fence
wanted to do the job, real fine
used a whole gallon of paint
it didn't make sense
my brother dave asked,
'What happened to all the paint'?
when we told him, 'We used it all, '
he laughed, I thought, he was going to faint,
thru the years, with that story,
we have really had a ball
Then there was the time
we tried to chop down the tree
my brother got mad, but the three was mine
oh, we were so care-free
I never forget the racoon,
that followed us home,
he seemed to like our radio
that was playing a tune
the racoon, seemed so a lone
I never forgot the indian head
pennies, he sold me,
he stole them, of crime he led,
he had taken them from his dad
I should have known, he sold them so cheap
to get them back, his father was glad
He always did something
to me that was real mean
to make up, a present he would bring
of our friendship, he would lean
He taught me how to smoke
this you say, you call a friend.
when I could have had a stroke,
but he always had money to lend
When I didn't have any friends at all,
Danny was always, by my side
and it sure made me feel tall
if any one picked on me, he would
beat their hide
Every one called him and I a clown,
each one laughed so hard
that it, really brought them down,
at poker, he could really hide a card
Every morning before school
we played poker, he cheated a lot
and with him, I wanted to fight a duel
but he told me 'I cheat not.'
Of the down town loop, we did ride
in nine-teen fifty-nine
our car through the streets, would glide
trying to find girls
that would be his or mine
In nine-teen sixty, my dog shep died,
it was very depressing and sad
him and I, all day we cried
it made me unhappy and a little mad
In nine-teen sixty-two
he joined the army
I tried to join, but didn't make it
those days were very stormy
after what he went through,
I didn't mind a bit
In nine-teen sixty-seven
the army let him go,
at home at last, I thought I was
in heaven
but I soon found out, it wasn't so
The army had changed him, in many ways
Danny was not the same anymore
as I looked back, at those good old days
when I always heard him, knock on the door
All he wanted to do now, is go drink
he could'nt sit still very long
and he was really starting to sink
he had seen action, against the Viet Cong
Next to him one night
a man's throat was slashed, a man who was kind
it wasn't good, or right
and what it must have done, to Danny's mind
Over the years, I saw him, until eighty-one
hav'nt seen him since
remember well, good times and all the fun
Danny where ever you are,
you are still my best friend
does that make sense.
I Met A Friend Of Yours Today
Yes, I know Im late gettin home tonight
Can supper wait, I quess I lost my appetite
Yeah you can fix me a drink, oh anythings okay
Oh, by the way I met a friend of yours today
I was workin on the other side of town
And comin home I thought Id stop and have a round
And in this bar I heard someone speak your name
And thats how I met a friend of yours today
I listened for awhile and I could tell
That that stranger there he knew you much to well
And I introduced myself and you should have seen his face
Oh what a shame I met a friend of yours today
Please dont cry woman cause its much too late for tears
Yeah, Im sorry too cause it hurts after all these years
And aint it sad a love like ours should end this way
And all because I met a friend of yours today
song performed by by George Strait
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Today early morning
Today in the morning as I entered the lift
I happened to look in the mirror my movement so swift
It seemed as something caught my eye
Yes, it's my reflection I saw it and sighed
When I sighed I saw my reflection sighing too
Is it a message I thought and heavier my heart grew
What have I done where is my smile
That is my power which helped me to wade miles
Is it because i am responsible wife, a mother
And daughter who cares for parents sister and brother
But how does it matter, I love them a lot
But that someone in the mirror about whom I never thought
Yes, it's me -my soul my being
Forgotten completely though it's someone I should be seeing
For I can make difference, win hearts and souls
Only when I myself am happy and that should be my goal
So today I am making a promise to my every cell
I will never forget that I need to love myself
For he has made only one of each kind
It feels good to know someone Like me is hard to find
Rima Sharda.
poem by Rima Sharda
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Dont Ya Tell Henry
Dont ya tell henry,
Apples got your fly.
I went down to the river on a saturday morn,
A-lookin around just to see whos born.
I found a little chicken down on his knees,
I went up and yelled to him,
Please, please, please!
He said, dont ya tell henry,
Dont ya tell henry,
Dont ya tell henry,
Apples got your fly.
I went down to the corner at a-half past ten,
Is lookin around, I wouldnt say when.
I looked down low, I looked above,
And who did I see but the one I love.
She said, dont ya tell henry,
Dont ya tell henry,
Dont ya tell henry,
Apples got your fly.
Now, I went down to the beanery at half past twelve,
A-lookin around just to see myself.
I spotted a horse and a donkey, too,
I looked for a cow and I saw me a few.
They said, dont ya tell henry,
Dont ya tell henry,
Dont ya tell henry,
Apples got your fly.
Now, I went down to the pumphouse the other night,
A-lookin around, it was outa sight.
I looked high and low for that big ol tree,
I did go upstairs but I didnt see nobody but me.
I said, dont ya tell henry,
Dont ya tell henry,
Dont ya tell henry,
Apples got your fly.
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Forever Friend
For Mike Bird
1943 - 2005
My forever friend.
I never though I’d have to say
The words I did over you
As they lowered you slowly into the ground
But there was one else
To say them, only me.
We’d been friends
For over forty years
At times we were almost brothers
Many happy Christmases you spent with my wife and me.
You became part of our extended family
You were an only child
and when your parents passed away
We befriended each other
During troubles and hardships
Through the years that came our way
Our friendship was strong
Even when for some reason or another
We didn’t see each other for a while
We never argued or raised our voices
Whenever we disagreed
Which I recall, wasn’t often
I remember you only getting heated
When some publisher rejected me
Saying “The fools, can’t they see.”
They were my failures, but you took them to heart.
Whenever you succeeded
I was first to congratulate you
I am so proud to have had you as my friend
Words can’t express the sorrow that I felt
When they said you had gone
I wanted to be on my own
Go somewhere and cry
Unfortunately responsibilities made me pass that by
Your cousins all the time you were alive
They stayed away from you
Didn’t even want you in their homes
Then they heard you were dying
Out of the wood work they came
To see what they could get
Oh, what a shame
They never knew
You didn’t have a penny to your name
He wasn’t religious they proclaimed
So no priest was sought
We gathered in the chapel
Only seven people came
Someone read a eulogy
But they didn’t know the real you
And that was that
I was asked to say a few words
As they lowered your coffin into the ground
With a lump in my throat, eyes full of tears
In a voice choked and low
I asked God to look after and protect
Your immortal soul
I held your wake at my house
Where you had spent so many happy times
I talked about you to your cousins
And they found out more about you
Than they ever knew
When they left and I was alone with my thoughts
I said a silent prayer for you
You my forever friend
26-27 Jan 2007
poem by David Harris
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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