Monday, October 06, 2008

RIP Don Sleeper

A great spirit lost his battle with cancer today. Don Sleeper was a friend to me in a time when I knew none, he built wonderfully wicked trail for all to enjoy and asked nothing in return. He was a gentle soul and I a better person for knowing him. In lieu of trying to come up with something poetic to say, I thought of a poem I once heard by Rupert Brooke. Rest in peace my friend, you are in a better place.

---------------------------------------------------


The Hill
by Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)
Breathless, we flung us on the windy hill,
Laughed in the sun, and kissed the lovely grass.
You said, "Through glory and ecstasy we pass;
Wind, sun, and earth remain, the birds sing still,
When we are old, are old. . . ." "And when we die
All's over that is ours; and life burns on
Through other lovers, other lips," said I,
---"Heart of my heart, our heaven is now, is won!"

"We are Earth's best, that learnt her lesson here.
Life is our cry. We have kept the faith!" we said;
"We shall go down with unreluctant tread
Rose-crowned into the darkness!" . . . Proud we were,
And laughed, that had such brave true things to say.
---And then you suddenly cried, and turned away.

1 comment:

gmr2048 said...

I'm sorry for you loss, Bob. Here's hoping Don is in a place of endless singletrack and perfect riding weather.