The View From the Tree

Hello, and welcome to the “tree”. I started a personal webpage a while ago, to share with my friends, and at the bottom of this page is a poem, sometimes with a story. I just wanted to share some thoughts, and relate it to a poem. As time passed, poems and stories changed, and I had no way to archive them. So, I’ve decided to archive the poems here, every month (or so).

The poems come from everywhere. Some of the poems are my own, or by friends or people I’ve met, song lyrics, or old classics by literary greats. I like to keep a variety. Sometimes the things you may like to hear don’t always come from where you might expect. Maybe you just need to hear that different point of view.

Originally I tried to stay away from posting song lyrics, but when the words are written in black and white, they can become more clear, or even take on a different meaning. Also, different styles of music aren’t shared by everyone who reads my page. I have posted lyrics from rock, to Christian, to local artists. It’s the message in those lyrics that can come through to you.

From classic writers, to personal friends, and obscure reaches, this is my growing collection of poems, sometimes with a story; or not. It may be the story that moves you, or the poem. I hope you find inspiration, or wonder, or a good laugh, in these writings.

Keep imagination alive in your life, and more possibilities will open to you.

Mike Stockdale


Rough and Ready Rhymes
By Tom Stockdale and others

A small book passed down to me, written by an uncle of mine (that I never knew), is filled with yellowed, coffee stained, hand-written pages of poetry dating from 1942-1973. It seems they had formed a club named the “Rough and Ready Rhymer’s Club”, in which one had to contribute poems, once invited to join. As I strain to read the handwriting, I read about friendship, laughter in good times, and sorrow in bad times. I wish to share with you the introduction, a “drinking in the den” type of poem. So kick back and enjoy his sense of humor. After all, in this case, the apple hasn’t fallen very far… from the tree.


Red Crown Lodge

The Gjerde-Stockdale gang has met
And figgered jest before we et,
We’d gather in the Guest House Lounge
And snift what likker we could scrounge.

We’d like for you to come along
And help to snift it-right or wrong-
Relax and then let come what may,
We’ll live to snift another day.

T.E.S.
(Tom Stockdale)
Aug 16, 1956