Summary:  As we come upon the 17th anniversary of Michael Landon’s passing July 1st, 1991, I’ve been trying to think of a way to celebrate what he has left for us all. This is a different sort of story because it is written in rhyme. I find I can express myself easier that way. These ditties, as I so call them, happen to be a hobby of mine. I hope you will enjoy my tribute to Michael, for I feel he has left his mark on the world in many ways. Posted originally on Bonanza World

Rating:  K  (1,060 words)

The Man

Little Joe Cartwright sat at his desk, pen in his left hand
Frustrated, he thought, “What can I say… It must be good… it must be grand”
He paused once more before he began
Then he wrote a letter to THE man

“Dear Mr. Landon, at first I was just a character name written simply on a page
You made me a woman charmer and a young man quick to rage
You gave me an infectious laugh that made others follow suit
You taught me to show kindness and compassion, AND I must say I enjoyed how all the ladies deemed me cute
You filled me with energy, and gave me confidence to conquer all
Demonstrating how a quick wit could win any brawl
You allowed me to fail, so that I could then succeed
You brought tears to my eyes to show pain and how my heart would bleed
You devotedly wore the green jacket along with the Stetson hat
And you taught me to board Cochise without using the stirrup… just like that
You made me mischievous and daring
But also loving and caring
The fourteen years we were together made me who I am today
A western icon from the 60’s that will never just go away”

Little Joe heaved a sigh and signed his letter as such

“Best wishes to you always, Joe Cartwright. You gave the Ponderosa the right touch”

Charles Ingalls sat under a big oak tree
Looking out at the vast prairie
He too, was having problems finding the right words to say
Tears welled in his eyes as his emotions gave way
He heaved a huge sigh and with pencil in hand
He thoughtfully wrote a letter to THE man

“Dear Mr. Landon, I was more than just a character on a page
For I was a true historical person that lived at another time, another age
You used what was known about me when I was alive
And built up my character with anything you could contrive
You kept me clean shaven, but I still played the fiddle loud and strong
And you knew just what to say when my children had done wrong
You made me a caring man one that the community looked up to
For you always knew the right answers when others didn’t have a clue
You saw the goodness in people and taught me to leave prejudice behind
Stressing the importance of family and the goodness of mankind
You allowed me to struggle and feel what it was like to be faced with hard times
To work together as a family and count all the dimes

You made me experience humility and heartache
And taught me to learn from every mistake
At times you were sentimental and a tear rolled down my cheek
Other times you were angry at injustice and then fairness you’d have me seek
You taught me family values and the importance of treating one another with respect
Our 10 years together I will always look back on and fondly reflect
You taught me that life is not always a bed of roses, that’s true
But I’m a remembered pioneer icon because of you”

Charles Ingalls looked out to see his children running through the tall grass
He paused for a moment hoping this image would never fade, never pass
With a smile on his face he signed his letter nice and clear

“Best Wishes My Friend, Charles Ingalls … for it is you I will always revere.”

Jonathon Smith sat quietly on a park bench
His next assignment made his gut wrench
He was asked to look deep beneath his skin
And write a letter to THE man within

He looked up to the sky
On this sunny first day of July
He thought for a while and laid out a plan
Then picked up a pen and wrote to THE man

“Dear Mr. Landon, you showed me how to make the world a better place
How to get along with others regardless of differences, beliefs, or race
You opened my eyes to the problems going on in the world
And showed me the effects of “kindness towards others”… when it is unfurled
You healed broken families before their loved ones had to depart
But most of all you taught me how to speak directly from the heart
You once said that we often live life by reliving life, ‘tis true
I learned to look towards the future and not dwell on the past because of you
Our 5 years together went by way too fast
But the lessons learned will forever last”

Just then a bird soared high into the air
Jonathon looked skyward squinting into the sun’s blare
He smiled broadly and nodded his head
Putting a closing on his letter he then finally said

“Thank you for all that you have given me,
Fondly, Jonathan Smith… I mean every word sincerely”

The characters have spoken and now it’s time for the author to add a brief note
For we must acknowledge all that THE man directed and all that THE man wrote
His true passion was not acting… or writing… but directing, ‘tis true
He was a leader that could get people to try something they never thought they could do

He had a take charge attitude and he knew how to get things done
While always finding time to take a break and have some fun
He stuck to the family oriented tv shows
Even when the head honchos seemed to oppose
He knew what people wanted and delivered it with ease
Never wavering from what he thought was right just to appease
My only regret is that I never met THE man
But I remain wholeheartedly an endearing fan

Thank you Michael!