https://youtu.be/NzP9o--Rv08 [4:17 minutes]
Dash Clown
Published on Mar 19, 2014
Red reads his own poem about being a grandparent (his daughter Valentina had presented him with a granddaughter some three months before this program aired on October 12, 1970). This is from Season 20 Episode 5.
Full text below. I fell in love with this poem and could not find it
either in text or video form anywhere on the Internet. I saw lots of
people asking where they could find it with no answers. Please enjoy.
We all miss you Red. I claim no ownership to this content.
Grandfather, Grandmother A gentle title that builds an imaginary wall
around the harshness of two words; old age The enemy of youth, for we
have learned that age is cruel Yet regardless to how young you are,
how young you think you are, or try to be Age steps in, unannounced,
introduced by your closest friends sometimes by saying "Remember
when?" It's then that we hope that we'll have some brilliance
that will blind the observer, Or cast a shadow over our actions and
keep them in the semi-darkness, And we close our ears, So we will not
hear the sounds made by progress that knows no sentiment Or to hear
the song that is sung by youth called senility Grandmother,
grandfather A noble symbol of age A real elegance that's filled with
proud moments A chance to relive your childhood Through the eyes of
your children's children Grandfather, grandmother A privilege granted
by God To teach the little newcomer the shortcuts And the ways to
face the angry sorrowful old world A chance to teach independence and
respect without the aid of groups or causes A chance to show how to
build and not to destroy A chance to see the innocence of life again
To let our minds romp freely And not notice the hypocrisy or the
puritanical taboos That this little fellow doesn't know yet A chance
to teach and recapture wasted, unimportant seconds of our childhood
To explain youth to that always ambitious youth That sometimes
forgets to realize the importance of childhood They're always
pretending that they're a little older than their bodies or their
reasons And intelligent just enough to be well misinformed Ignorant
to discipline which teach the true essence of freedom To teach them
to grow into their wisdom far beyond their years Grandfather,
Grandmother A blessed honor A chance to daydream and to notice a bird
in flight And think of an answer, for it'll be the first time you've
ever been asked why And to touch a puppy dog, and not notice it
messing up the place To see for the first time a blade of grass take
on the designs of a cathedral A chance to see spring in the twilight
of our autumn years Grandmother, Grandfather What a new dignity for
now you see love And you feel respect For now you walk holding two
hands One the hand of tomorrow The other the hand of eternity.
Dash Clown
Published on Mar 19, 2014
Red reads his own poem about being a grandparent (his daughter Valentina had presented him with a granddaughter some three months before this program aired on October 12, 1970). This is from Season 20 Episode 5.
Full text below. I fell in love with this poem and could not find it
either in text or video form anywhere on the Internet. I saw lots of
people asking where they could find it with no answers. Please enjoy.
We all miss you Red. I claim no ownership to this content.
Grandfather, Grandmother A gentle title that builds an imaginary wall
around the harshness of two words; old age The enemy of youth, for we
have learned that age is cruel Yet regardless to how young you are,
how young you think you are, or try to be Age steps in, unannounced,
introduced by your closest friends sometimes by saying "Remember
when?" It's then that we hope that we'll have some brilliance
that will blind the observer, Or cast a shadow over our actions and
keep them in the semi-darkness, And we close our ears, So we will not
hear the sounds made by progress that knows no sentiment Or to hear
the song that is sung by youth called senility Grandmother,
grandfather A noble symbol of age A real elegance that's filled with
proud moments A chance to relive your childhood Through the eyes of
your children's children Grandfather, grandmother A privilege granted
by God To teach the little newcomer the shortcuts And the ways to
face the angry sorrowful old world A chance to teach independence and
respect without the aid of groups or causes A chance to show how to
build and not to destroy A chance to see the innocence of life again
To let our minds romp freely And not notice the hypocrisy or the
puritanical taboos That this little fellow doesn't know yet A chance
to teach and recapture wasted, unimportant seconds of our childhood
To explain youth to that always ambitious youth That sometimes
forgets to realize the importance of childhood They're always
pretending that they're a little older than their bodies or their
reasons And intelligent just enough to be well misinformed Ignorant
to discipline which teach the true essence of freedom To teach them
to grow into their wisdom far beyond their years Grandfather,
Grandmother A blessed honor A chance to daydream and to notice a bird
in flight And think of an answer, for it'll be the first time you've
ever been asked why And to touch a puppy dog, and not notice it
messing up the place To see for the first time a blade of grass take
on the designs of a cathedral A chance to see spring in the twilight
of our autumn years Grandmother, Grandfather What a new dignity for
now you see love And you feel respect For now you walk holding two
hands One the hand of tomorrow The other the hand of eternity.
