DON’T REMAINDER ME
Stanley Kunitz said: Poetry is mythology
telling stories of the soul It’s adventures
in time & in history
The soul dives into a body builds a house for
an Ego Jettisons said Ego Soul now a fugitive
Free of the squalid human Until the next dive
Nothing useful rhymes with motherlode Our
adjectives cloying Our clichés grating But
dare hire a poet if your soul needs saving
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Winter 2014
GOOD NIGHT MARY ELLEN
Ralph Waite Pa on the Waltons died
on Tuesday He was 85 My father Lee
died 23 yrs. ago He was 68 I thought
they would live forever
It is said that Ralph died at mid-day in
Palm Springs Allan Mills his manager
was taken aback Ralph had been in good
health
Both Ralph & Lee had Paul Newman eyes
Handsome not entirely gentle men Silent
types with rivers of regret around the edges
The actress who played Erin Walton said:
He was like a real father to me Goodnight
Daddy I love you
A gentle family drama set in the Blue Ridge
Mountains through the Depression & WW II
Inextricably entwined with mine
Bleak suburban playground nouveau riche
& holocaust survivors Life on a lush ravine
Ralph was our spiritual father back in the 70’s
He was an ordained minister with a slow smile
that belied his battle with the bottle
When he said Good night Mary Ellen you could
almost taste your perfect future apron sensible shoes
family of 5 Those were simpler times
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Winter 2014 Good night Pa Goodnight John-boy Good night Blackie
songanddancegirl... at 4
songanddancegirl 