Last year, on the occasion of his birthday, I wrote this poem to honor our good and loyal friend Mark Chase. Mark has been battling cancer for some time and today we got the sad news that, by his own choice, that battle is nearly over. While we will miss his shoulder to the wheel, we all respect Mark’s right to leave now, and know that our loss  will be our future gain, for we  will  see him again. Thanks for all that you have accomplished, Mark. The good you have done is indelible, and will not be forgotten…Goodbye for now…

And here’s to you…

The Legend of Mark Chase

It is the lot of some, to do what they can

To free this planet,and to salvage man 

And to raise the tone, of all that they see

While gracing the lives, of thee and me 

To a staff of heroes, these beings belong

And now and then steps another, up from the throng 

And it’s a decade plus now, that such was the case

When a young man joined us, who liked to play bass

With dark skin and hair, impish smile on his face

God help us all! The man was Mark Chase!  

And it didn’t take long, for Mark Chase to see

That to really help others, what he needed to be

So he went to Flag, and for long months he trained

To learn the tech, for the truth he strained

For to truly help others, he could have no MU

So he did what was needed,  Mark Chase never blew

Through the Golden Age of Tech, he became a Class IV

And a Sup to boot, to open the door

For others to travel. that path of sooth

So exact…so narrow, that road to truth 

And many a student, who traveled that road

When burdened or troubled, Mark lightened their load

With a twinkle in his eye, and a smile on his face

The students were all glad, their Sup was Mark Chase

And sooner or later, into the life of a man

A woman arrives, to take his hand

 To fill his void, and bring him the sun

 When Mark Chase met Tessa, that search was done… 

And then came the Fundraising, and Mark Chase’s new hat

Inspiring with Music, well…yes, he did that!

He did it so good, with the hat he’s now stuck

For time immemorial, that’s the future’s good luck

So you see my friends, life has its pay

This poem is such, and it’s true when I say

That It’s the lot of some, who do what they can

To free this planet, and to salvage man

While raising the tone, of all that they see

And gracing the lives, of thee and me

To a staff of heroes, these beings belong

Among them Mark Chase…

his legend lives on

Mark Arnold

May 10, 2014