Author - Betty Schmidt
Submitted By - "LES"By the tilt of his head, his walk & his swagger,
You can tell he's been put to the test,
But to him it doesn't matter.
It's not about the living he's made.
It's all been for the love of the trade.
Some say he's old & it's time to go.
But he's forgotten more than you'll ever know.
He greets each day with a sigh & a pain
Knowing today his life could change.
He teaches his men:
Take care of your brother
And respect the power
For God can take you at any hour.
The integrity of the trade is ours to teach.
Don't be a Journeyman that will only stand & preach.
Take pride in the fact that you made the grade.
For Lineman aren't born, Lineman are made.
And as he passes his legacy on,
Respect the fact that it will be minus one.
But in your despair try not to forget
That there are two, who have no regret.
For they go to work each day
To take care of your girls, for whom you pray
Soon the day will come & it will be his last.
You know who he is, without having to ask.
Around the job you know him as Les.
But to his family that loves him,
He's simply the best.
My father retired as a IBEW Journeyman Lineman in Nov. 2000. At his
retirement party I honored him with this poem that I wrote. I would like
to post this in his honor. If you're a member on IBEW 51 in Springfield,
Illinois, chances are you'll know who I'm talking about...........
Betty Schmidt 2000