Thursday, August 14, 2008

Name dropper

Since some of you have already discovered that I am a namedropper and since the Olympics are happpening at this time, I have to tell you about a HUGE NAME.

In 1936 the Olympics were happpening in Germany. Hitler was very insulting regarding USA's black athletes. Jesse Owens was America's hero and he succeeded beyond all hopes. We in Sweden were glued to our radios. We had some Scandinavian athletes we were rooting for, but most of all we were cheering for Jesse Owens. After the Olympics, Jesse Owens and a discus thrower named Carpenter or Carpentier came to Sweden and our School and another school for girls were assigned the hostessing duties for the two of them. We arranged a 'tea dansant' and Mr. Owens was kind enough to dance with each of the hostesses. I don't remember any details -- I was in ecstasy!

While looking through a stack of old papers, I came across my favorite poem. I like it because I feel it was written about me!

THREE TAME DUCKS (author unknown)

There are three tame ducks in our backyard,
dabbling in mud and trying hard
to get their share and maybe more
of the overflowing barnyard store,
satisfied with the task they are at
of eating and sleeping and getting fat.
But whenever the free wild ducks go by
in a long line streaming down the sky
they cock a quizzical, puzzled eye
and flap their wings and try to fly.

I think my soul is a tame old duck
dabbling around in barnyard muck,
fat and lazy with useless wings.
But sometimes when the northwind sings
and the wild ones hurtle overhead,
it remembers something lost and dead
and cocks a wary bewildered eye
and makes a febble attempt to fly.
It's fairly content with the state it's in
but it isn't the duck it might have been.

What an interesting connection! The Olympics are on TV and I find this long lost poem. Hmmmmmmm.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh I LOVE this! Keep writing. I've got you bookmarked next to Shreve. Have read her entire blog including Vagabond Vespa.

Marlene said...

oh svento.. this poem may have been written of me also!!!...I think that alot..I may not be the duck I could have been...I am happy with my life.. but all the possiblities that could have been!!
Marlene from Cambria

Evelyn said...

I can relate to that poem as well *smiles*

And, I'm enjoying your name dropping

hello haha narf said...

my dear sweet svensto,

at 90, you can do anything you want!
name drop away!!
(just keep writing. it is such a breath of fresh air to so many of us.)

becky

BumbleVee said...

For some reason that little poem brought a tear to my eye... and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up just thinking of how the wild flocks of ducks and the geese look and sound when flying overhead... love it. Thank you...

EvilDucky77 said...

I love your blog. May I have permission to re-post your poem on my blog? I really like it a lot!

Also I wanted to ask, I really love the music from the 1930s and 1940s. . .what sort of music did you like to listen to back then? Did you get to see any famous musicians in concert? Would make a good post! Thanks!

Rosy in MV said...

I love all your stories, you make us feel like we are there with you. I couldn't leave my computer until I had read every one of your postings! I'm afraid I will expire from curiosity while waiting for the next story. Keep including us in your life dear Svensto.

Anonymous said...

From reading your posts, I have a hard time seeing you as one of the tame ducks - sounds to me like you flapped your wings until they worked, by golly, and you caught up to those wild ducks, passed them, and left them in the dust!

Thanks for sharing your stories with us. :)

Haphazardkat said...

I think perhaps our time in life is over when we stop cocking our heads and feebly attempt to fly.
:)

Kat

J said...

Thank you so much for sharing your life with your readers. I love reading them. :)

Pat from Laguna said...

You have always told the most interesting stories, and I sure miss being close enough to hear them in person. Keep them coming as they are so great.
Pat from Laguna

Plot Whisperer said...

You're crazy!! You have never been fat and lazy and you have definitely never been tamed!!f You have always found ways to soar with the free wild ducks.

Now, thanks to Shreve, you're soaring again.....

Anonymous said...

I poked around the web & believe that "Kenneth Kaufman" is the author of your poem.

Keep writing, and thanks!

--Marrus
www.marrusart.com
http://marrus.livejournal.com