Quite a long time ago I was invited to a picnic on the
Deleware River.  I do not remember the circumstances
I was a guest of another family--and it was an unusual
Excursion for me at some distance from my  place and
I was the guest of people not well known to me.  The
Site was a rural park on the river, a river flowing well
through woods with some sandy shoreline. There were
Few amenities but there was a canoe rental and I rented
One and proceeded down river.  After going perhaps a
Quarter mile I came upon a man who seemed to be adrift
I waved to him but he did not wave back and I paddled on
a ways but something struck me as odd and I turned my
Head and yelled back-"Are you all right?"  He said:" I am
Drowning"  I quickly went back and allowed him to grab
On and I took him to shore-a very short distance.  I do not
Remember if we exchanged any words and I never told a
Person about my strange experience.  Now all these years
Later the question I asked myself back then :why did not he
Cry out for help when I first passed him and not declare his
Need until I by some vague premonition called back to him.
By such a slender thread does life hang that a man might let
Go by- his salvation in the balcance and wait upon God or
Whim of fate to intervene  the balanced scales weighing-
Whether it is better to live or to die .  To be or not to be?
I do not now know the answer but see more clearly  the ?

In the wondrous ocean of the
Universe so little is known let
Us not be limited in Truth so-
Spacious and that a Metaphor
For anything. at all for anything may
Be-the good; the bad;or  the merely
Different.  As a man's years mount
His reason tells him his time grows
Nigh but is it a reason confined to a
Time gone  by that was not so tried
By time that as it must needs now take
Wonder into  account or embrace the
Grave.  Well with so little left to  gain-
To lose- it is no big thing I think to take
A chance and seek a grander Truth.  To
Take a chance in the mind's.e and  land
Upon foreign shores never  hither been
Explored.  Why do you twinkle little star
All alone in the night the last before I wake...

A whiff of of something desired
That cannot be cannot be  mine
Of desired realized in some other
Clime that       i can only observe
As one apart looking upon a fae-
Land.  It is so quaint and beloved
Of my heart-I say oh why o not me
I would be one with you children so
Wild and free-so beautiful to me-yet
I cannot and still be me.  So  as I must
I travel on but I  will not forget thee.



For the chilrdren  en of Cornwall Bridge who
Danced in the sunny fields for me in the early

Morning of my departure..Are they no more
Yet there is a bridge between then and now.

Where always is I would be...
Always faithful always true
Where always is I would  be
I have not always. been faithful
I have not always been true.  How
Can I expect you to believe me...
When I say I will always love you?
My love has been less than it should
Be.  I am an imperfect man .  Who
Am I judge the sinner.  This then
Is my repentance that I must plea for
Charity for myself and all mankind.
If I were king it would be of kindness
Undeserved born of joyful gratitude
From my cup overflowing.  My flaws
Forgotten then could you believe me:
When I tell you I will love you always


For Old Abe:"With charity for all and malice
towards none..."and David who slew Goliath
And stole Bathsheba

When you have heard the whistle blow
Begins its long silence perhaps you will
Nevers hear it again; so it is with with all
Our precious moments they live in our
Long goodby  that they may be reborn

Till then  sweet nepenthe that makes not
The memory but as one we have yet  to
Know. nor  shall I ever love you more

In our broken places we are made stronger

For Papa   and the one tat got away