About This Poem
This poem is a Father’s Day tribute to a man I considered to be my grandfather, Curtis Walton, or Midge as he was known. My paternal grandfather died of stomach cancer in the early 1940’s when my dad was around three years old. After this, my great uncle Midge became a sort of mentor to my father and helped to give him much needed direction.
My uncle wore a newsboy cap whenever he stepped outside. During Prohibition, he ran moonshine. After that he made his living as a roofer until an unfortunate fall from a roof forced him into early retirement.
We spent nearly every Sunday with him when I was a child. Stepping into his house was like going back to the 1940’s. He preferred his old vacuum tube radio to television. His wife made some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever eaten in my life. He was a man who was rough around the edges but had a very good heart and definitely knew how to survive. I hope you enjoy this poem.
but it was honest,
full of the simplest
of pleasures,
like listening to the Red’s game
on the old Sylvania radio
with a cold Stroh’s
and plug of Redman
tucked in your cheek
the cadence of your speech
and your expression,
rough but meek,
the scent of wintergreen
chewing tobacco
and Old Spice
and how you joked
that the roaches
that scurried up
and down your walls
were like old friends
and how you’d be
lonely without them,
was filled with stories
and calm eyes
shined with content,
you always said
you would rather live
on skid row than
amongst the rich
because the poor
might steal your money
but the greedy,
they could steal your soul.
I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at my website. Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared.
Eric Vance Walton - Media
This is a touching tribute to a great man.
I miss men like Uncle Midge. You never had to guess what they were thinking, and you never had to worry that they didn't care for you.
It is remarkable how a simple life can impact an entire family. Thank you for sharing your Uncle Midge with us Eric.
Lydon, that is well said my man.
Thank you Barry. You encourage people well my friend.
I honestly do try. Thanks for that, it means something to me Lydon.
You're welcome my friend.
Thank you, @lydon.sipe! I miss these types of people too. You're totally spot on, he wouldn't have wasted one minute on someone he didn't like. He was totally upfront and direct. I appreciate your comment!
Love it, my kind of man.
You're welcome my friend!
You have a terrific naturally reading writing style. I do say that as a shameless lead-in however. If you could cast an eye on an article or two of me and plonk some feedback i would be appreciative. If not, not a problem either. :)
https://steemit.com/psychology/@adzytho/the-truth-about-life-is-death
Thank you!
I love poem especially when heart is in it, i also post poem and randomly anything but I started in poem, coz I can express what I felt thru my poem. Upvoted and steem on! Pls follow if u like :) @ericvancewalton
Great words Diana
(:
Tnx, got problem.with my mobile can't get into the net sometimes 😪
Diana
Keep up your nice work my friend, good times ahead LOL
(:
Yeesss let's spread happiness welcome to the new Dawn and don't.forget to vote me hahaha now I can be happy for my reward will go up high like $5 in my post that's a lot for me!!! 😁 Tnx. Happy for the community another highlights goo steem on!!!!
Even with my power way down and then the vote at 16% it still tripled that payout for ya LOL
(:
Thanks for all your comments and support Diana, over the last while, it is appreciated.
Truth is I don't really mind the reward huh, hahaha.nah, much really I do like feeling so happy if I post and found out others noticed what I post and conversation start to a while it really felt so good. Feeling like going closer to the neighborhood is what I really loved most, sharing jokes and simple talks. Tnx @barrydutton steem on! Appreciated the vote much, don't worry u've got a friend in me hahaha!
I will UV this comment for you but I have to dial the power down a bit LOL, I voted so much today!!
Thank you! I appreciate the support and the kind words
Same here tnx for the reply I really like poem especially when feeling involved :)
I'm sure your uncle Midge would be so proud of you for writing this. He must have been very important to you :) thanks for sharing
Thank you! I think my uncle would be blown away to know he has a presence on the blockchain now! : )
Nice post man i am 14 years old and i am trying to get young people like myself to use time on steemit to benefit from there skills :) you are a real inspiration and if you could support my post by upvoting that would mean a lot ;) i upvote all your content
Thank you, @ottostephens. I'm following you and am looking forward to reading your posts. It's wonderful you're bringing more younger people onto the platform. They will really thank you once they see what writing and earning here on Steemit does for their future. Cheers to you, Otto!
Thank you :)
Nice. Now lets set it to music.
Thats a good poem you poured your heart and feelings out ,one can really feel your emotions attached to that piece of writing.Well done i am impressed !!!!
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
you are a good writer ,cant wait for more of your posts.OOOHH i think i should also try poetry ,posting very soon,you may like it :))
You made a wonderful tribute to a wonderful man. Your uncle Midge would be very proud of you, becoming the person you are today. Your story was very touching and really depicted part of his life to us and your poem was especially touching and showed the love and thankfulness you have for him and what he stood for. True love is remembering the person in his/her true state. You did that and it showed a very special part of him and yourself. Thank-you for sharing this touching tribute to a wonderful man........cabbagepatch.
Thank you very much! My dad shared a few more stories about his uncle with me yesterday. It seems he had a very wild streak when he was younger. That was well before I was born though. What a different world it was back then!
Your Dad's Uncle Midge probably wouldn't have become the man he became without those wild streaks when he was younger. It is always wonderful to hear stories about the old days because I truly believe we learn a lot from them. When I read your remembrance of Uncle Midge, it brought back memories of my dad and his times spent in the early days in Hawaii. Your article was a well timed story for me and I thank you for it! Have a great week ahead!
Wonderful piece. It is always great to have someone we can look up to and share great moments together. Many of times when we are adults and away we tend to forget the heroes of our youth. I think we should always remember their contributions to our lives not just on Fathers' Day. Great post.
Thank you! I didn't feel like I fully appreciate him when he was alive. I was really too young to understand him as a man. I totally appreciate him now though.
Excellent work dear friend @ ericvancewalton that beautiful memories, are fanatic of poetry, as a child I tried to write, was an eternal lover, but bo admit that I never get a rrima and I gave up poetry, congratulations for this emotional poetry.
Have an excellent weekend
Hey Jose, Happy Father's Day, I know family means a lot to you my friend
Thank you very much dear friend @barrydutton, I wish you a beautiful Sunday and a happy rest
Thank you, @jlufer! I hope you had a great weekend as well, man! Happy Father's Day!
I'm upvoting right now! I've upvoted. Nice post from @ericvancewalton. Thanks for sharing!
My respects man. Great lines
I appreciate it!
Very Heart felt and Real! Thanks for sharing!! Upvoted and Followed for more!
That's the best compliment you could have given. Thanks!
you have a way with capturing a personality well, your family members come alive through your eyes and words!
Thank you, Ruth! This man was so unique. He had a certain cadence to his speech....for instance he never said "he was walking...." it would've been "he was a'walkin'" It must've been a kind of Southern dialect. Also, strangely enough, he lived a very Spartan life but when he passed away they found bags of cash in his attic! There's a little air of mystery there.
That is beautiful man.
A Reds fan eh??
I can relate to this good blue collar stuff a lot....
I did not have a great childhood in some respects, or good family times most of the time, TBH.
I actually touched on that today when I wrote this post today and named you as a good dad type.
Came to find you to let you know about this and here is your post already on the same topic LOL.
I would normally drop this link on an older post of yours where the action has died down as you know but this is topical and maybe someone else or a even a single mom or single parent needs to see this today.
Have a great week my friend.
https://steemit.com/life/@barrydutton/happy-father-s-day-everyone-and-to-the-single-parents-moms-too-pulling-double-duty-duly-noted-and-appreciated-some-shout-outs
Thank you, my friend! He was a Red's fan! I relate to this too, it was totally my background on both sides of my family. Thank you for your post also, Barry. You're really a great person, man. So happy to have met you.
That's inspiring keep it up :)
Thanks!
This made me cry.
I hope you enjoyed it!
Dear Eric, I can feel the way your heart was touched by a good man.
It reads easily and it is touching. It sounds like you had a good relationschip with him, he touched your soul and through your words you touched mine. Very well written I would love read more of your words.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you made an emotional connection with it!
Wow, fantastic! Happy Father's Day Eric!
Thank you, my friend! I hope you had a great weekend!
Beautiful poem. It's so rare that someone has so much respect for their grand uncle.
Thank you! I feel like I didn't fully appreciate him when he was here but now, in reflection, he had a great influence on my through my father.
Those who grew up during the great depression understood life and had great lessons to teach.
Absolutely!! These people were survivors in every sense of the word and tough. The stories he had were priceless! His brother broke out of the Ohio penitentiary, stole a car, and lived as a fugitive in Arizona for years before he was caught.
great
Omg, I feel dying. A romantic poem for father, I think you're good in poem. Good luck for your journey in steemit. I upvoted you. I am so gkad if you upvote my posts! We can share each others, thank you :)
Thanks!
You're welcome :)
Wow, truly emotional.
Touched my heart.
I may be a bit late but happy belated fathers day.
Thank you, @arckrai!
Happy Fathers Day to your uncle! Lovely poem.anyway, i also have a poem entitled THE LOOP. Hope you could check it out https://steemit.com/poetry/@annesaya/adla5-the-loop-a-poem-original.thanks! 😊
Thanks!
Lovely poem ... right from the heart!
Thanks for sharing this @ericvancewalton
so sad :( , btw i never feel love from uncle or grandma :(
https://steemit.com/poetry/@anejosua/everyday-im-thinking-about-you-cause-i-love-you-and-forever-still-love-you
good job. upvote and follow you
Visit also : https://steemit.com/poetry/@momoy/your-heaven-is-your-mother
nice story upped please look and up my story too thanks
https://steemit.com/sports/@diverse-thinker/biggest-enemy-of-human-an-account-on-personal-experience
A marvelous verse! It's a good thing you have a wonderful uncle. I can't remember I have an uncle like yours when they are still alive. Like I remember them not much of an uncle, but a neighborhood. I don't have a happy moment with my uncles. Never had.
Thank you! I'm sorry you didn't have happy memories of your uncles.
I don't blame them either for being cold and aloft. Sad truth.
Congratulations @ericvancewalton
You took 38 place in my Top 100 of posts