“Dream of Beverly & Trampas”

Hurry and drop old sun,

Let black night’s blanket

Hug round and glide

The way back to the good.

Wearing puka shell necklace,

High top converse & LED watch.

High five the fast ride,

The backroads at night, the wood.

Beverly & me slip in the beer,

Beefsticks and cheese.

Play bingo in the back row,

Watch the movie on the hood.

Sic ‘em Trampas, sic ‘em.

Catch that rabbit by the cave,

Fight the wolf-dog after midnight,

Running red streaks when you could.

Beverly made me a Hobbit cake.

She read Lord of the Rings

Her senior Tornado year.

What a sight-

The Red Book of Westmarch traversing high school halls pressed against a Texas girl’s bosom.

I venture her adventure was ne’er traced again within those walls.

Combat with the wolf-dog

Took up more & more of Trampas’ time,

‘Til one day old Tramp didn’t even

Rest long enough to come home anymore.

I think those two still battle.

I may see them in my dark dream, in a silvery glade,

Surrounded by nightbirds and forest critters unseen.

Sic ‘im Trampas!

I don’t know if Beverly still has

The stuffed animal from the big fair that I won for her.

(She named him Smeagol)

She claims she don’t miss Texas, well I bet Texas misses her, like I miss Trampas.

“The Scenic Route”

They had good times

Riding up the scenic route

To Knoxville for shopping,

Eating out, and people watching.

Passing through Tellico Village

When it was just beginning,

Seeing the mansions being built

On water’s edge bereft of livestock.

The fun to be had was great in

K-Mart, Target, West Town & Sam’s.

(That big Kmart on Kingston Pike,

Long closed now-had a great deli/café.)

She loved to look at greeting cards.

He loved to rummage through books.

Finding a bargain was great fun, on

Shopping trips with the Mother & Son.

“Duty in the Sea of Japan”

7-1-1951

The U.S.S. Princeton flattop

Plowed the grey Korean waters,

Lighter by one Golden Dragon soul.

Seaman AM-3 Tubby Watson,

Sailed away from Mount Vernon,

Returned home in a casket

On a somber funeral train.

Never to ride upon Trigger again, or

Run with his dog Hitler in the wood.

Mourned and remembered by all

That knew of Tubby-his service, his good.