Wednesday, November 16, 2011

50th Birthday

Today you would have turned 50. I wrote the following after we spoke on your birthday 32 years ago. How I miss you!



Phone Call from Kansas

The phone rings – I pick it up
and in an altered tone of voice
you state: “I’m living for myself.”
You – one of the most respected ones
with parents on the mission field
(How they have failed their closest ones
While striving for the “heathen lost”!)
You go on into the silence that follows,
“Now don’t you worry – I’ll be okay.”
But you won’t, for I can sense
that you’re puzzled and heartsore and lost inside,
disillusioned by the western dream
while scrabbling for the streets of gold
“I’ve got a head on my shoulders, you know.”
Yes, but for how much longer? I think,
as you tell of near-crashes, policemen and girls,
the drinks and the drugs, the friends that you’ve made
Your pitch gets higher and faster until
you suddenly stop.

“What do you think? Are you shocked?” you ask
No, not shocked – just helpless, scared
We begin to chat, and as I say
“I’m going to Greece on my honeymoon”
the mood again changes as you respond
“Marry me, you’ll have lots of fun …”
Oh, my friend, for you’ll always be that
no matter what happens in this life
Is fun the most important goal
to aim at while we’re on the earth?
As you go to hang up, you ask,
“Still my friend, Tinhead?” I want to weep
but I manage to stumblingly reply
“Always your friend, Maynard.”

    November 16, 1979




5 comments:

  1. Powerful Karyn! - write on . . .

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  2. Thank you Karyn. My heart still aches. Carolyn.

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  3. beautiful and poignant. love you. ♥

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  4. Strangly I knew before I finished reading the first line that this was about Maynard.... He was a joy to know at Hebron...to have as a friend...a classmate..a pleasure to chat to...to share and make music with.

    Thank you Karyn for reminding us.....

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  5. Dearest Maynard, with fond memories of such a gifted friend x

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