~TRIBUTE TO ROBERT JOHNSON: BOB -poetryperchance~
MY DEAR FRIEND BOB,
I was amazed and impressed how you managed to look after racing pigeons and took part in the racing. Let me copy here what you wrote to me in an email on Monday, 23 November 2015:
Hi Cris,
Thank you for the kind comment on my poem 'Alone. Also thank you for your poem 'Prayers For Only Some'. You show so much kindness in your heart. I remember way back when MJ and I had a problem, only two people stood by me. You and Elsie. I have always known that I had two friends. Little did anyone know that MJ and I were good friends behind the scenes up until she died. We kept in touch by EM.
Before I went into the Marine Corps I raised and raced Homing Pigeons. I had over 100 pigeons in my loft. I was just getting my flock trained when I went into the service. I did race some young birds at two hundred miles. I worked them up to that distance, starting with a fifty-mile race. The older birds would race up to six hundred miles, but I never got to that point. I had one pair that was imported from Belgium. That pair cost $1000.00 but was given to me by a Doctor who used them for breeding; strengthening his flock's bloodline. I got some good young birds from that pair too. Back then England and Belgium were the world leaders for homing pigeons. I always wanted to get back into racing pigeons, but I never did.
I have COPD now and was given six months to live back in December 2014; life goes on. I'm fine except when I try to do something, I get so winded.
I hope that your health is good and that you are enjoying life.
Thank you again.
Bob
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This shows you gave 100% to anything you did.
Please, forgive me for posting your private email to me. I would have asked your permission but you could not stay with us and had to go where we all have to go one day. At least you beat the doctor's time limit by many months. You were a fighter- a Marine and you fought bravely for your country as well as for yourself.
You and I had the same problem with heart. Atrial Fibrillation. You and your son had catheter ablation done and the entry point went septic and the wound in your groin was so big that they had to put suction pump to get rid of pus. Your son had to have another bout of ablation. This put fear of ablation in my heart and refused to have catheter ablation and opted for medication. Later I read in British Medical Journal that in ablation the part of the heart they were burning was not the proper part to burn. I have to thank you for saving from ablation. There was also a risk of burning the current carrying Purkinje fibres that could require an artificial pacemaker fitted in heart.
We had many things in common including poetry, computers and love for nature. We have common friends who miss you very much. I was not going to post anything about you because I knew it would be impossible to do without tears and I hate crying but here it is. Poets have to know what a wonderful person you were. You were not only gifted but you were dedicated in everything you did. You received honour from marine last year. You never blew your own trumpet and remained a ground to earth man. I have always admired that in you. I could go on praising you but it will have to be some other time. I want to believe that you are in heaven and are reading this and smiling.
Keep on smiling my friend,
Kris
WWW.poetrypoem.com/dreamweaver
25th February, 2016.
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NOTICE TO ALL POETS
It is with deep sorrow and regret that I am here to inform you that one of our poets Robert Johnson known as Bob site ID poetryperchance sadly passed away on the 30th January. He was one of a kind, he was a gentle soul and had a very caring nature. His poems held your attention right to the end and the imagery was excellent. I, for one, will miss him dearly, such a loss to this poetry site. Goodnight and God bless my very dear friend. Else
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Thanks Elsie.
Kris ~ Dreamweaver
