Poem Fragment

"James he was a simple man
he didn't ask for money
he didn't ask for anything
that love could not provide."

I wrote this some time in the late 60's. Tennyson it is not. It was during the Hippy era and before the war protests at Ohio State. The Oval on the campus is big and long and wide with ribbon like walks that take you from here to there at the change of class time.

I sat at the East end of the oval when I wrote this. It was one of those amazing Ohio fall days. Cool/warm and tress dressed in multicolors knowing leaf falling time was coming.

There was no person James to whom I was referring, I had one line I've remembered and still like the most. "he didn't ask for anything that love could not provide." Somehow that seemed to have described so many of the folks Iknew at the time. Those were my true Hippy friends not the faux-hippy-wanna-be's that liked the look of being a hippy but not the philosophy.
That is how one could tell between them-- by a measure of their desires.

Perhaps that is how we distinguish between groups now. What do we 'ask' for in life? and if it is anything but love then maybe we've fallen off the mark. That is not to say we are totally without longings for the 'things' of the world. However the most important thing, we already know, is what love provides. Security beyond worldy measure.
What is the greatest commandment? Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind, and your neighbor as yourself.

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2006