I thought that my 50th post should be something a little bit special. So, I am including something that I wrote 25 plus years ago, for my father (a life-long sailor and lover of the sea). It is called "I Have Lived".

I have breathed the freshness of the ocean air.
I have cast my billowing white sails clear to the top of the sky.
I have sensed the power of the sea as stays moan in the wind and the bow cuts crisply through unending swells.
I have felt the freshness of a salty mist, cast up from a cresting wave, upon my face.
I have ridden out the storm with its lashing winds and raging sea, consuming all the earth in their eerie darkness.
I have sweltered in the fiery heat of a merciless sun while becalmed by a forgotten wind.
I have felt the ache of calluses and burns upon my hands from the harshness of a serpentine line drawn tight against the wind.
I have guided the trembling tiller on a true course across the glistening water with its secret depths of ebony.
I have found sleep within the gentle sway of my ship and the lapping of ripples upon her keel.
I have seen with awesome reverence the sinking of the sun into the sea.
I have heard the first cries of a gull as the sun, in all its splendor, leaps up from the east to shatter the darkness.
I have laid with eyes to heaven, contemplating a billion tiny embers calling forth their dreams from the evening skies.
Yes, all these things are with me and I shall forever be able to say that I have lived!

I have read a very nice tribute to your Dad.

Congratulations, Greydawn!

Mombo

Greydawn,

WOW! Let me be the first to congratulate you on achieving WACKO status. And thank you so much for sharing that beautiful tribute to your father. He must have loved it and been very proud to have someone write that for him. I'm impressed. I hope you don't mind but, i made a copy of it to keep with my collection. WELL DONE!

Bert

Spectacular, GreyDawn. Thanks for sharing that and congratulations on reaching Wackodom.

Beautiful Greydawn Thanks for sharing and congrats on makeing Wacko, you won't regret it.

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Bob

Greydawn,

I salute you for a beautiful tribute to your dad. You have captured the true essence of the seafaring people of the past. I also wish to congratulate you on your 50th posting and wackodom status. I hope that you can share more inspirational writings with us.

Caio
Brian

Congratulations Greydawn and a very nice tribute indeed.

"TheLightkeeper"

A truly awesome composition Greydawn. Thank you for sharing it with us. Congratulations on gaining Wackodom.

How proud you must be of your father to write such a beautiful tribute. How proud your father must have been of you to receive it.

And congrats on your wacko status!!!

Congradulation on reaching WACKO status...and thankyou for sharing such a touching tribute to your father.

Kat{=^+^=}

Both the poem and your status with the forums are achievements to be proud. Congrats!
Take care,
George

Gerydawn, what a moving tribute. Great job. Congrats on wacko status too.
Dale

Very well done Greydawn! Thank you so much for sharing that with us. Congrats as well on your Wacko status!

-Todd

Beautiful piece for your father! Congratulations on achieving wacko status.

Donna

PS Love your name: Greydawn.

Beautiful poem. I'm sure it's priceless to your father. He must be as proud to have you for a daughter as you are to have him for your father. Congrats on wacko status!

Just a small point of clarification. I am male, but you could not have known that. My mother is Cherokee Indian, so I was given a traditional Native American name (Greydawn) as well as my English name (Jefferson- Jeff for short). I bet you can quess what the weather was like when I was born! I do appreciate the comments greatly. And, yes, both my parents are truely wonderful people.


[This message has been edited by Greydawn (edited 09-29-99).]

Welcome to the Wacko Gang, Greydawn !*!

We are an every growing family of truly wacky collectors.

Thanks for sharing your tribute and the info about yourself.

Derith

Greydawn:

A wonderful and moving tribute to your dad! Every father should be so lucky to be thusly remembered by a son.

Your prose is very reminiscent of one of my favorites from Robert Louis Stevenson, a descendant of the Scottish lighthouse-building family and the famous author who is buried in Hawaii:

Under the wide and starry sky
dig my grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live and gladly die,
and I lay me down with a will.

This be the verse you grave for me:
"Here he lies where he longed to be,
home is the sailor, home from the sea,
and the hunter home from the hill."

I think your dad would be proud.



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Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild

Sorry Greydawn...I shouldn't have assumed you to be a female! One of my best friends is named Dawn. After I posted, I read your profile and wondered if I had made a mistake on you being female. Please accept my apologies. (:>)

Cogratulations Greydawn. It really is a lovely tribute to your father. Enjoy all the benefits that come with WACKO status.

Rich
ps: Let me know what they are as soon as you enjoy them.

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You are a true poet, Greydawn. Have you written other sea-inspired poetry? Please share if you have! It's amazing what talent we have in our (Wacko) ranks! Congratulations on becoming a Wacko!

All I can say is,

"I wish I could write like that."

Excellent work, Greydawn. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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-Art