Garrison Keillor once said
that what he most hopes for
when his life is said and done
is that the people of his beloved
St.Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota
will be more proud of him
than embarrassed by him.
He then added, with genuine
humility and honesty:

I think it's going to be a close call.

For many years
I used to listen to his show
The Writer's Almanac
very early in the morning
on my way to teach my
7th grade English class

He is famous, and I am not;
but we share much in common.
He loves music; I love music
He loves poetry; I love poetry
He is God haunted; I am also.

Though I love 3 writers he
- let's be honest -
at times envies:

Bob Dylan, T.S. Eliot, and Herman Melville

Nevertheless, his statement struck me as quite sincere.

So, Mr. Keillor, here I'm a stealer:


I don't have a hometown because I've moved so much; however

Despite my sins, faults, and failings (which are considerable)

When my life is over, I hope that the people in the places where I have lived (too many too list)
would say I made a contribution, resisted the Absurd, played a positive part -

                    If only small.

                 It's a small world
                        after all.