At the Church Door
by Louis Simpson
Listen Online
I didn’t stay for the closing
hymns and prayers. I felt
out of sorts, so I left.
Someone was before me
at the door: a child, gazing
at a spot on her wrist.
She said, "Can you help me?"
"What is it?"
"A ladybug," she said.
So I opened the door,
and she said, "It jumped off."
We stood looking around.
"It’ll be all right," I said.
She went in, and I left,
taking care where I stepped.
Steeple bell, 1st Cong. church, East Ave and Broadway
SRN photo
"At the Church Door" by Louis Simpson from The Owner of the House. © BOA Editions, Ltd., 2003
^,^
Rodgers and Hammerstein
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodgers_and_Hammerstein
Kansas City
where everything's up to date
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6pmZE1Qtyw
Another one from OKLAHOMA! :
THE FARMER AND THE COWMAN SHOULD BE FRIENDS
Attention should be paid by warring downtown Waukesha factions
and others in conflict around the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G85aEsgMDwA
and one more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEwVAV3VPw4
^,^
Bow Ties
John Helt and grandson Emerson
at recent wedding of John's son TJ
Attention should be paid by warring downtown Waukesha factions
and others in conflict around the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G85aEsgMDwA
and one more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEwVAV3VPw4
^,^
Bow Ties
John Helt and grandson Emerson
at recent wedding of John's son TJ
Ben Willard at his wedding 7-3-16
(New wife is our daughter, Erin)
Old photo, work togs here
^,^
GOP presidential candidate 2016
^,^
Zepata and El Dayo
Instalment IV
Somehow during the clattering night
at the quonset
Zepata and Irena in
their cabin found sleep
the devoted creek-ets
too slept
but only after
hearing the snores of Zepata
did they stop rubbing
their own parts together
all very long songs
over
The bedclothing on the bed
of tree trunks and 1000 lb test
lariat rope
the bedclothing oh my
Again
Irena chose to soak
them for starters
in Zepata's unemptied
bath water
til a return
Irena built up the fire for coffee
and shaved soap chips
for clean-up
with the large blade
she always wore
at the back of her
neck
hidden within her
long black hair
the sheath strappage
appearing to be a choker
necklace ah yes she
was clever
She checked her kit:
twin balanced 45
calibre pistolas;
over her shoulders
went
the holstered dual
bandoliers
crossing between her
taut breasts;
all cartridge loops
full
and leather thongs
tied around each
of her muscular
thighs
Thighs which could cause Zepata
to yell ouch Ai yai
yai;
a grenade in the
usual place;
sewing needles and
thread;
pemmican;
iodine, cotton sheeting
for
bandages or sling;
silver bicep
bracelets with
hinged turquoise
cabechons
behind which - check
- the
cyanide capsules in
event of capture;
for the Federalis
meant to kill them
for a long time with
many inhumanities
on sight ha ha
Saddle bags filled with flour, salt
bacon
canteens (8) filled
with
mountain stream
water;
flintrock; several
changes of socks;
her spiked wrist
bands;
signal mirror,
binoculars,
sack of gold coinage;
fish hooks; high-cuff
leather gloves;
two large rolls
adhesive tape;
medicinal and
recreational whisky;
20 feet leather
thonging;
sighted-in rifle; 35
yards fusing
and sulphur matches,
large box of same
Zepata rolled away the stone next
to Dayo's quonset and
put 24 sticks of
seized RR blasting
dynamite
into a long leather
hide and rolled
it so that it made a
double compartment
one for each of
Dayo's haunches
We becawm one with May He Ko
he chuckles to El
Dayo
if a boolet hits here
he slaps the double
bag arrangement
as he secures it to
the saddle
Dayo snorts defiantly
his
No Way amigo
Dayo stomps his hooves
and shows the whites
of his eyes
his head tossing up
and down
in anticipation of
new battle
He will stride just a
little ahead of Mare
There may be enemy
fire
As always Mare will try to achieve
the lead position
and as always
Irena will say
I not doing that, my greatest love
Mare she always wants
to lead
I cannot help
Mare also carries hidden grenadage
No freighting
opportunity
is ever overlooked by
Irena
or Goddess of the Sun
as the
peasants call after
her
when they pass the
poor villages
All this preparation took place in
the first light of
day
El Dayo and Mare
stand only a yard apart
and the spurs on both
Zepata's and Irena's
boots jing-jing in
concert as the two
fighters for the
downtrodden
march in step to their
mounts
Hep Hep
shouts Zepata
Two sinewy legs
simultaneously
attain socketage in
stirrups
Two sinewy legs
simultaneously
arc over the horses'
hind quarters
And they are off
A more splendid sight
there never was
Sigh the creek-ets
Waving their bandanas
from the window
Where they will watch
a very long time.
[6-3-98 ]
