This autobiographical poem would have never existed had it not been for my good friend, Mike Freeman. I have known Mike since 2016 because of a wonderful program for high-risk youth called, “Zedbridge Make a Difference (zMAD)” that we were involved in. zMAD was a 40 hour leadership program that ran in the summers of 2016 and 2017 that our friend, Rajiv Patnaik started. Working with Rajiv, Mike, Carol Wertz, and Andy Mills as educators oh, how we worked to develop such lasting relationships with one another, our teenage students and other professionals in our community! I digress… Mike Freeman and Tyler Goold have a podcast that they started in June, 2020 entitled, “The Richest Man in Town” (https://rmit.buzzsprout.com/1018270). As in the classic movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” Harry Bailey toasts his brother, George (played by Jimmy Stewart) as “the richest man in town!” that speaks to “rich” as not financial wealth, but qualities in bold and humble character that money surely cannot buy!
Having worked with me, Mike graciously pronounced me rich and so he asked to interview me with Tyler, on the Richest Man in Town; an honor of a lifetime. One of the questions Mike asked me right off was “Can you give me an “elevator speech” version of who you are?” Well, I sang a short elevator stop version of James Taylor’s, “Secret O’ Life” and then let Mike know that the elevator was in a full electrical shutdown and…. my autobiographic poem was born! Welcome and thanks for taking the time to read it.
Time Slowed Sweet
oldest of five boys and a sister to Stan and Gerry Mitchell
a geeky-kind kid, could have sworn I was being chased by girls as the 5th Beatle in “A Hard Day’s Night”
I even had a set of racing stripes on my 1963 Rambler in high school
that had no reverse or 2nd gear,
“You’ve Got a Friend”- Lory, my girlfriend
man, she had real upper body strength to help push my car out of parallel parking jams
I was the life of the party at Chico State
until drinking took the life out of relationships
cars, and me
clinging to God
writing poetry and
posting it
on my dorm door
connecting and learning from others about their lives
and mine
evolving
Europe for six months in ’76… Michelangelo, Vincent Van Gogh…
and two girlfriends
one in Switzerland and the other, Berkeley
paint-flying-adventure in color
splashed
some beyond recognition
and others
photographs of David, the Pieta, crystal clear
and a self portrait
of a bearded -waft- pipe-smoking-man
out ah window,
right-hand drive
Mini Cooper
Edinburgh, Scotland
click
jump to 1987 and I married my dearest friend, Julie
and to Weaverville, God’s creation, working with artists
and then through the greatest artist, Jesus,
I was born again on the road to Trinity Center
two lovely children Blessed, Olivia and Taylor
“Oh, how life flew by together”
just the two of them
in our VW bus
and me
summer vacation
to Gold Bluffs Beach
time slowed sweet, as the bus forever crawled up Buckhorn Summit
60 horsepower
Olivia, much more horsepower then that
and at the age of 20,
“Poppie, I just can’t play Candy Land one more time…”
and “Ahhhh…” groaned Taylor at 16
still holding onto nostalgia and memories
Cracker Jack’s clinging, smashed to our bums,
“You guys wanna play another game?”
And in conclusion on the elevator
here now,
Lord Jesus and my loving family,
Grace Abounds
missing my Mom & Dad
and after 30 years of teaching,
still bubbling with laughter and joy
my former students now in their twenties
spot and bolt to stand in front of me in a Target
and a bit shocked
I jump with a Medicare hop,
“Remember me, Mr. M., remember my first name, my last… ahh come-on, Mr. M!!!”
Smiling they wait for what seems like hours
and on a stage of old
I remember,
every once and a while,
their name will boldly proclaim
what their eyes spoke so clearly
before…
“Levi?”
“Yep”, he beams
and as natural and free as an eagle soaring
he quips,
“Yah, know, Mr. M., you look a lot better than I thought you would!”
And, “Yep”… it just doesn’t get much better than that.
Here is the link to the podcast:
https://rmit.buzzsprout.com/1018270/4608539-episode-11-time-slowed-sweet
Rust Never Sleeps 