Bob Uchner
and Walt Lohman
pay a visit at the Odd Fellows hall yesterday.
Find their way down the long corridor
across the creaky floors
to our doorway.
Bob and Walt are both members of the Odd Fellows
officially, whereas we merely squat
as poseurs.
Yet both men have stood by the
raccoon editor when he has been down
and still,
even now,
support him with the brotherly love
afforded true lodge kin.
Bob is ailing himself
after years of breathing the flux fumes
from his stained glass work
and has a bone-fide condition
the VA is treating him for.
He walks slowly
and thinks slowly.....
But he still shows up
which as we know is
99 percent of everything.
Walt affords Bob the logistics
of the brother that he is
and he knows.
We've known Bob ever since he
was running into the Saylesville
mill pond near his house and studio.
Bob was sound of limb
and almost of mind then
when he led stalwarts
into the icy waters
on polar bear's New Years Day.
....................................................
Also, later yesterday,
Joe Beringer meets us for coffee
at the Steaming Cup.
Joe, wating for his coffee,
ever the friendly one,
reaches up and caresses the
shiny black long hair
of another waiting customer.
He doesn't know her
but knows a good thing when he sees it.
She smiles and accepts the compliment.
Men like Joe
and Bob
and Walt
know; they
move blood
through ageless veins.
.............................
Rubber stamps
Allowing easy identity change
we use them
in shape-changing
and sometimes in metanoias.
Addresses and interests come
and go; and
like the Ozian wizard,
we pull the levers
and emit puffs of clouds
as in Sandburg's Chicago fog.
Will true authors
please stand/stamp up?
