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WILD MEN

Look out upon the rugged lands
the depths of which I used to stroll
among the ancient hardwood stands
before the passing years took toll

These lands which people seldom shade
where deer and bear still roam their trails
beyond the sight of open glade
where a lone hawk or eagle sails

Now days I dare just walk their edge
and try to peer within their heart
from atop some bluff or stony ledge
the borders where wild places start

I survey them and think of youth
when slopes nor miles could bar my way
before I knew the bitter truth
that age would take access away

Then I did as I do now
allow my mind to travel back
and let imaginings ease troubled brow
as it traces some forgotten track

For once these hills hardly knew men
the few who roamed here truly wild
first the vanished Clovis then
Cherokees arrived with wife and child

These old ones knew true virgin wood
where land nor game knew fear of man
forests where walls never stood
and trails wandered without plan

And then my kinsmen came ashore
men who found Europe too tame
some to settle, some to explore
for wilderness the wanderers came

Some were too wild to settle down
they'd venture lands by tribes untrod
beyond the ken of men or town
in deepest woods and prairie sod

All those wild ones, white or red
whose spirits still stalk hidden places
their bodies tucked in leafy bed
left their shards and other traces

Even now, like way back then
I like to think we are the same
That my soul mirrors those wild men
but in my heart I know I'm tame

Style / type: 
Free verse
Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Review Request (Direction): 
What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
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Comments

Love this, i can picture them as they first arrived on the shores of America, and i certainly tip my hat to the courage of both red and white man. Great poem. Regards Roscoe...

Roscoe Llane,

Religion will rip your faith off, and return
for the mask of disbelief that's left.

I wrote this because I got to thinking how few of that mettle are left in these modern times and also as a jab at myself. I am fully aware that a hunting or hiking trip of a day or two duration when one then returns to a warm (or cool) home with all the modern conveniences is a far cry from stepping foot into a true wilderness for undetermined duration. But I Still like to pretend I'm "wild" lol. Appreciate your taking time to read this longish poem.............stan

author comment

Always your writes are a good look into another world.
It is sad that the invasion of the White (whatever you can call them now) people into the Americas didn't embrace their cultures instead of destroying their way of life.
The Clovis were very far ahead of their time with their tools but they seemed to disappear, way before that invasion ????
There were many aspects of their world that we could have learned from.
Maybe it was that false flag with a large red cross on that caused all the trouble.
Religion today hasn't changed much but is losing ground to reality checks
where an old man can be the Godhead or a book is misinterpreted to kill innocent people, these reasons are becoming weaker, but I hope they find something to replace them all soon.
The wild man would be appeased if only all mankind became
MAN---KIND Yours Ian.T
.
Sparrow says that there are a few places in your rhythm that need a tweak.

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

The latest theory on the disappearance of the Clovis people as well as the mega fauna in America at the end of the last ice age is that a comet or asteroid impacted the miles deep ice sheet that then covered the area which is now Canada. The resultant fire storm (recorded in a continent wide layer of charcoal) wiped out the food supply.
I kinda thought I had a few slips in rhythm. But people, including myself, tend to force rhythm by using poetic voice . Thanks for pointing out that there ARE stumbles in this. I'll let it sit as is a while and come back when I can read it with new ears.....................stan

author comment

other than some rough lines, I thought this one is as usual holds great text and captures
an important part of your history.
As usual I enjoyed how you closed your poem.

❤❤❤❤❤❤

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words
........Robert Frost☺

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Thank you. It's good to have you reaffirm the stumbles I thought might be here. I'll return a bit later and try to edit them out. And the "wild" men were everywhere at some point in time lol..............stan

author comment

Some still can be seen here and around most often lol

❤❤❤❤❤❤

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words
........Robert Frost☺

Please follow me on Instagram
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and truly enjoying the story. While driving along the highways and byways, I often wonder what it must have been like in those days when there were no roads, just paths that wound through the woods and it took a whole day to travel fifteen or twenty miles. Today we travel at sixty mph. and think nothing of it! I wonder then; what the men of that day would have thought about that! We have much history here in the Northeast, there are many places that have plaques that tell you where and what. Here in Schenectady and the surrounding area, there are some that say things like: " We rode along a fine sandy road, thickly forested with great pines " I forget the name of the author, but it was from his diary. I too wish for the return of those days when I could hike all day and sleep under the stars on nothing but a blanket and some pine needles. I was once a Wild Man too! ~ Gee

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

I have bought small tracts of land which had grown up after being clear cut. I then would clear the brush off of parts of them using a chain saw. Man, it's almost unimaginable what it must have been like to clear climax forests with nothing but an ax. Perhaps you and I should form a retired wild man club lol............stan

author comment

you must...but I've seen odder organizations than that! I have used an axe and saw to bring down some fair size trees, but never anything that I couldn't get my arms around. Yes, it must have been wild men that tamed these forests! I know that my ancestors were French-Indian-English from up around the Canadian border, and some were probably loggers. I have some old pictures of my great grandfather's deer hunting camp. Real log-cabins! Unfortunately none of them have any info on them, so I don't know much about them at all. Anyways, yes, I imagine that it was quite a feat. Thanks for this one, ~ Gee

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

I have also seen photos of those men armed with ax and two man saw. And I've Tried to use a two man crosscut saw. It Ain't No Picknic LOL. I've read of the methods used to make boards and timber back then. Ever heard of "pit sawed" lumber? One of the pair using a 2 man saw would actually stand in a pit while the other stood on a log laying across the pit. They would saw trees lengthwise to make wood siding and lumber...........stan

author comment
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