I always thought my friend and I belonged somewhere beyond the late seventies. We had a way of talking, seeking true friendship that took our spirits somewhere else. Chums from another time. One night we actually went where we belonged. I do believe it was 1924.
He looks at me his eyes brown and ferocious! “Would a girl ever come between us”? He sounds as if he is gagging as he spits the words out. “Maybe not one”, I softly reply. I look away staring at the open New Mexico wilderness, the late June wind blowing from the northwest cooling our conversation. “One could hope for two or three between us”, I say the genesis of a sardonic grin appearing on my face.
We wish our thoughts in shadow-land, from friend to foe and stand ourselves on where kings stand. In stars, we want a falling phase the kind that guides our keen eyed gaze. To take us cross the Gobi sands. Our swords and minds to far off lands. Oh friend my chum though we are here, our young adolescence beyond years. To camp above on roof tops, to see the moon so near, to strive to speak our legends, to each other and the earth so near. For if we are young traveling warriors, is life’s wartime here?
We somehow summon laughter, we somehow broke our tears, and we cross our arms and unfold them, when the Southern Cross draws near. In times, we study magic, and camp where daemons leer. For under signs of heaven, our stories draw us near. To unfold a crooked omen, that crosses minds and fears. To know that something savage is made gentle when we are of cheer. Oh, friend my chum in laughter, my twin when hell doth know that we our twins in witness, to all the dark can know.
We tasted our peyote, we chased the moon away, and we brought a noonday brilliance to the places we went to play. For in the days of future, when you or I should say, was that day in 1924, or just the tricks odd seeds can play. For I know we traversed minefields of those false life can lay. But I swear we held the world in our hands, and watched it float away, into the gray, my chum, into the gray.
“My parents signed the papers today”. His voice is more serious than sad. “Semper Fi”, I say, a sudden lump in my throat, bringing my skinny right arm and hand up in a sharp salute. “Yes sir”, he grins his sixteen-year-old Navajo face suddenly looking much older. “There will be more than two or three girls between us by the time I get back”, he says. “Maybe even a set of twins”. – 06.19.2018 – דָנִיֵּאל
This was a fascinating read. Very different.
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Thank you very much Amelia. 🙂
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Your welcome 🙂
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Dear Daniel, I can not say enough about your talent. (The Chums of 1924) was astounding, surreal but at the same time presenting a very real message about true friendship that is everlasting. ❤ Ruby
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Hi Ruby, Thank you for your ever kind words. I have been very fortunate in life to have such friends. You are correct the value is everlasting.
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Dear Daniel,
You have been blessed in many ways friends, family and talent. I celebrate all of these wonderful blessings with you. ❤ Ruby
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Enjoy your writing very much. I was reminded of a friend I grew up with while reading this post. Wonderful friend. Made me wonder what happened to him. Thank you.
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Thank you Warren for your comment. I have been surprised at the comments having to do with so many reminiscing about friends they had from childhood and how valuable that was to them. I do hope you are able to someday connect with yours.
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Thank you, I hope the same. I am not surprised at the feedback you have received. There are still many who value what is of value!
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That which is good always surprises me too Warren. 😉
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I was reminded of a line from “The Tempest” while reading your brilliantly written piece, “I would not wish any companion in the world but you.” “The Chums” was a favorite for me. 🙂
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Thank you Robin for your wonderful comment and thank you also for including the great Shakespeare quote. It is a favorite of mine as well. I am so happy you liked this post.
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Daniel, You are most welcome. Happy to meet another Shakespeare fan. 😉 At times your work reminds me of his.
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An almost bittersweet moment in the sands of personal friendship history. I felt as if I was almost intruding, the presentation was so real. Very well done.
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Hi Haley, thank you for your comment. Never an intrusion on this blog I can assure you. 😉 I am happy you liked this piece.
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Hi Daniel I shall intrude away then. 🙂
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This was fantastic prose Daniel. Very personal and heartfelt, the ending moved me to tears. Also loved the music. You have a knack for always matching the right sound to your prose. ❤
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Thank you Lauren for your comment. I am happy you liked this piece. The ending as was the beginning a real life event, the middle parts were shades of the truth here and there. 😉 i am also happy you enjoyed the music. The group was new to me before this post.
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Daniel I have always believed that the best stories are to be written once someone knows their beginning and conclusion. The interest is in the body of the work, where the best creative spirit is called for. 😉 ❤
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You write well. The world needs many more stories of true friendship!
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Thank you Longbow, I couldn’t agree more. 😉
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Daniel, this was a lovely tribute to friendship. I thought I was reading another Hardy Boy story at first and then realized no, this is an older boy (s) we are talking about here. The following by far was my favorite lines although I adored it all. “To know that something savage is made gentle when we are of cheer. Oh, friend my chum in laughter, my twin when hell doth know that we our twins in witness, to all the dark can know.” ❤ ❤ ❤
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Hi Heather, Thank you for your wonderful and kind comment. I was fortunate to have a number of valuable best chums when I was growing up. As you so astutely mentioned, this is after the Hardy Boy period in my life, although it in itself probably never ended. 😉
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I was a bit frightened there for a moment, but then you said the Hardy Boys never end. Okay we are good now! 😉
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🙂
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🙂
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Amazing post Daniel. I like the way you weave a story into poetry. Your friendship must have been a deep old soul friendship. The best kind to experience.
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Thank you Bettina for your comment. Indeed it was the best of friendships that continues on to this day. I agree as you put, “the best kind to experience”.
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your welcome Daniel, so looking forward to your next post. 🙂
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Great style of writing that you have. I like the comparison of the friendship to an earlier time. What made you choose 1924? 🙂
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Hi Casey, Welcome to my blog, and thank you for your kind comment. Two reasons for choosing 1924, it seemed to rhyme and we really thought we had gone there back then. Peyote does that to a person (s). 😉
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LOL 🙂 that is funny. Thank you for your welcome to your blog. I have enjoyed what I have read.
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“The Chums of 1924” is a brilliant piece of writing Daniel. Your flow of words speaks to the deep and soulful relationship you have with your friend. The use of nature in the writing plays such a pivotal part in the bond you have with each other. 💜
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Hi Summer, I loved your comment. Very insightful on the nature part and factual. The bond was formed always while in nature. 🙂
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Daniel this is a wonderful ode to friendship that is immortal. The connection back to the 1920’s makes it almost a ghost story. The addition of the song “Chasing Ghost” (which I also loved) makes it even more so. Thank you for an entertaining and well done post. 🙂
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Hi Gigi, I am happy you liked this post and the song. I loved the song as well. I think you are right this is a ghost story of sorts although the characters are very much alive today. Perhaps 1924 is the ghostly part. Thank you for your great comment.
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Daniel, it occurs to me that anything written that happens in the past both recent or far has ghost entwined in it’s words. 😉
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You have written another amazing post Daniel. Your ability to weave stories with the use of poetry fascinates me. In this particular piece I was touched by the ending. Do you still have contact with this friend? I would believe so, for this depth of friendship at such a young age is surely priceless.
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Thank you Lynette for your comment. As you always do you intuit so much that is going on. I am still in contact with this very dear friend. The bond is as strong as it was that day that the last paragraph refers to. 🙂
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That is encouraging to hear Daniel, as always it is a pleasure to read your words and comment.
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This was excellent Daniel, it reminded me of a good friend that I have had since childhood. Separated by miles now but never really separated. Well done sir, I thank you.
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Thank you Alex for your comment. Happy you too have experienced this kind of friendship. You are correct miles between you never breaks anything. 😉
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Miles make better friendships at times. 😉 Your welcome Daniel, I could not resist. 😉
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Daniel I hope you will allow me to tell you how much this piece meant to me. I too had a close friend growing up in Israel. We shared those fun moments as well as spiritual moments a bond if you will that cannot be broken here on earth. Unfortunately he passed away three years ago from a terminal illness. I wept when I read your piece. It was well done. Thank you my brother. Shalom, Den
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Hi Dennis, Thank you for your wonderful comment. I am sorry to hear of your friends passing, but I know you carry that friendship with you now and always will. You are that kind of person. Shalom, Daniel
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Thank you Daniel, for your remark to me. It is true I am that kind of person. I appreciate those whom I kindle a spiritual friendship with. That is why I return here many times to read your work. Bless your family and you brother. Shalom, Den
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This was very well done. I love the way it begins with a touch of humor and then the ending with the sadness of moving forward.
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Thank you Raine, I like how you got that, I really hadn’t thought about the beginning and the ending in that way but you are right. Thanks again. 🙂
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YW! 🙂
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Another writing to add to the ever growing pile of one of your best Daniel. The topic, a favorite of mine. The bond that holds friends for a lifetime, a great bond and enduring bond. You have written great things in this piece my young friend. Bill
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Thank you Bill, as always your comment is very kind and I appreciate it. The bond between good friends is a keeper I agree.. I think in your faith there is a verse that says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”. Good verse. 😉
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Daniel it is interesting you would bring that verse up, it has been on my mind since I read your post. I agree with your entire statement, and further am proud to call you friend. Bill
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Impossible to like this enough. Your imagery is striking, and the subject matter enduring. I loved this. ❤
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Hi Raquel, Thank you for your comment, I am happy that you liked this post. The images are something I always worry about getting across, so I appreciate you letting me know they made it. 😉
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Your welcome Daniel. The main reason I enjoy your writing is the imagery you present. 🙂
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Daniel, I had to add my praise and thanks to the long list that has former here for your post. I too have been extremely blessed to have a friend in my life that has been through every great or bad time with me since I was a child. Enough said. Thank you.
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Thank you Erik, I agree you are blessed to have had this kind of friend in your life, also happy for you. I appreciate your kind words about my writing. 🙂
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Very welcome Daniel, the best of the day to you and your writing world!
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Some tremendous lines in this post Daniel. To be sure a new favorite for me, and the following line will stick in my mind for some time to come. :But I swear we held the world in our hands, and watched it float away, into the gray, my chum, into the gray.” Thank you.
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Thank you Dallas, as always I appreciate your kind words and thoughts. I appreciate when readers find a quote that sticks in their head, and just so you know the one you picked was the one I liked writing best. 😉
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I enjoy a great quote, and store many a quote in my brain data bank to use. Living by them, now that is a different matter entirely. 😉
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Hi Daniel it was nice to read about the bond between humans in a positive way. No better brother or sister than a close friend for life I would say, and sometimes that friend as is in my case a sibling. Very enjoyable piece to read. 🙂
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Thank you Darrin for you comment. You are fortunate to have a sibling for a best friend. It doesn’t get any better than that. I agree with you there should be more written about the positive bonds between people.
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Dear Daniel
I loved this. Very unique as is each piece you write with that borderline surrealism touch. Once again so many great lines that define what this friendship was for you and your friend. Keep writing!
😉 ❤
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Hi Erin, thank you for your very kind comment. I can;t say that I actually start out to add the surreal touch in every piece but it does seem to end up that way, so I just go with it. I appreciate your compliment, and encouragement to keep writing. That I will my friend.
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Hi Daniel
I do not usually attempt to understand very abstract writing or paintings for that matter as it is above my conscious mind to do so. I do understand your writing on both conscious and unconscious levels. Perhaps progress has been made. 🙂
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Another good one mate!!! 😉
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Thank you Shaun, I appreciate your comment. 🙂
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Yes! Very fab, Daniel! Of course serendipitously, I just watched a documentary titled: Rumble – The Indians Who Rocked The World. It was a winner at Sundance, and it is a very satisfying mind-blower! The music is killer. Do you remember Redbone, Hendrix, Buffy and more?
https://www.rumblethemovie.com/home
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Hi Resa, Thank you, for your kudos. Yes I do remember Redbone, and of course Hendrix and Buffy. My fav is Robbie Robertson which starts out the trailer on Rumble. That I have to see. Thank you for the link. We kind of like the same things don’t we? 😉
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Yes, we do!
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