he walks
toward trouble
as if it was
of no concern
to him
and trouble
in whatever form
it takes
moves aside
for the big man
it knows
no matter how fast
it draws
how tough
it is
how much abuse
it can take
it is no match
for our hero
who drove cattle
to feed a nation
tamed the West
won the war
was the man
of the hour
any hour
every hour
gave us hope
he would always
be there
when trouble called
until the day
cancer came
and won
the day
as it almost
always does
to heroes
to villians
to us all
outside
the silver screen
in real life
where there are
no rewrites
no retakes
as the cameras
roll
without pause
in our lives
- Comment
- Reblog
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Leonard Durso 
Keen thoughts on what’s real. I like real.
🙂
Me, too, generally. But then again, I do write fiction. But, of course, that sometimes has more reality than nonfiction. Thank you, though.
Reblogged this on Leonard Durso.
I think John always really wanted to be Ted Williams.
Both American icons.
The Duke was The man for many years. How ironic that his last movie, the Shootist (one of his best in my opinion) was about a gunfighter dying of cancer. John died shortly after he made that movie.
Funny you mention this film since it was the one I watched last night. And I agree. I also think it is one of his best and that moment at the end when Jimmy Stewart looks at his body on the floor is quite moving to me since it brings back The Man Who Shot Libert Valance to mind.
Stewart, Bacall, Howard, Caruthers and even Richard Boone…what a cast. I agree about that moment and your comparison. Funny, of all the Duke’s movies you chose that one….
I was going to watch a John Ford film with him but it was mentioning his cancer in the poem that drew me to that movie.
I understand the correlation. Keep a tight grip on the little red pillow!
I’m trying, Michael. I’m trying.
Beautiful. John Wayne my favourite of all time and my “real man” that I imagined all men would be tough and care and take care of one, you never meet them. John Wayne fought his Cancer with dignity and courage as one would expect from him. Whenever John Wayne is on TV and today on TCM it was John Wayne Day, I never ever miss him. My favourites “The Searchers” and “Hondo” and all of them to be honest.
The Searchers is at the top of my list, too.
I think it is the finest example of a Western.
I agree but more than that, it transcends the genre.