from Margaret Waller

HELLO HELLO JIM
YOU OUT THERE
YOU, WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OUT THERE
WILLING TO SEND BACK WORD OF WHAT YOU SAW
AND HOW YOU SAW IT
YOU, THE TROUBADOUR AND MINSTREL

YOU WELCOMED OTHERS
TO THAT BIG SPACE OF YOURS
SEEMING TO FEEL NO NEED TO CHANGE
OR BE OTHER THAN WHO YOU WERE
LIKE IT OR NOT

THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING ME
SO LONG AGO ON THAT BEACH AT REED STATE PARK
YOU, WEARING COWBOY HAT AND BOOTS
FLANNEL SHIRT AND JEANS,
IN THE LATE SUMMER’S HEAT
WITH IDA AND BERT AND LESLIE
MAGNIFICENT IN HER CROCHETED BIKINI.