tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265058190715478392024-03-15T18:13:10.990-07:00Lawrence Helm's BlogLawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.comBlogger1991125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-84729350694758188782024-03-13T12:59:00.000-07:002024-03-13T12:59:21.637-07:00Springtime on Planet Earth<p><span> </span><span> </span>A senescent president spends</p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Beyond measure the wealth </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Of his nation, and supports a</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Comedian’s nation pitted against</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A Slavic warlord who dreams</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Of the war his comrades applaud.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Seeing his foes embroiled,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The leader of Sinitic millions</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Likes his chance and seeks to meld</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Taiwan into a Chinese whole.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Japanese and South East Asians</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Younger than those locked in</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Western Ukraine arm themselves</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Thinking that they are</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>More formidable than</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Chinese believe. In the world </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We try, those of us standing aside,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To hide our faces and hope these</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Onslaughts pass us by; yet fire</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Burns brightly where we stand.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Somewhere beyond our ken <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span> A malevolence watches these</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stirrings, dipping a finger</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Now and then to taste its</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Progress. Humans blind</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And dumb in its midst </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Roil inside the growing heat.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal; white-space: pre;"> </span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-49252263185935351552024-03-12T12:56:00.000-07:002024-03-12T12:56:18.900-07:00 Relating to the crises in Nigeria, sort of<p><br /></p><p>I just saw on the news that Nigeria is on the brink of an economic meltdown. In seven months, if I live so long I’ll be ninety. It often seems that I can’t watch any news program without relating something in my past to it. In this case, in 1988 I was Project Engineer for the delivery of the last two DC-10's. One of them was purchased by Nigerian Airlines. Alex, representing Nigerian Engineering and Ali representing Nigerian Product Support coordinated daily with me. I got to know them both fairly well. I was a member of the Long Beach Police Pistol Club at the time and took them both shooting two or three times. Alex was especially interested in buying one of my guns, but the gun he wanted was the one I took hiking most often; so I wouldn’t sell it to him. </p><p><br /></p><p>Alex apparently found another gun to buy. He said there were bandits where he lived who would approach a house, shout and wave old rifles about and demand money, but if the home owner could produce a gun, they would run away. Ali scoffed at that. He had been in the Nigerian military and had a rifle at home. The bandits never bothered him. At the range it turned out that neither could shoot very well. Alex fired a round through the overhead at one point. His targets had shots, the ones that even hit the target, all over the place, but he was proud of it and took it back to Nigeria with him.</p><p><br /></p><p>Ali was educated in Scotland and had a heavy Scottish accent which made him difficult to understand. Alex was a Catholic, but as it happened I got along best with Ali who was a Muslim. We discussed a wide variety of matters including religion. I had read the Koran by then and found his interpretation of various passages far different from my understanding, but the same sort of thing goes on with Biblical interpretation so I wasn’t surprised. </p><p><br /></p><p>Ali spoke of having important political connections and of being about to inherit a large property. I was invited, but didn’t go on the delivery flight. Shortly after he would have arrived in Nigeria, he called me at home, He left a return number which I tried, but his accent was so strong I wasn’t sure I got it right. In any case I couldn’t get through. I wondered at the time if he was going to offer me a job. What would that job have consisted of?</p><p><br /></p><p>Shortly before delivery of the Nigerian DC-10, I received a copy of a document reporting “Nigerian B-707, on 12-13-88 crashed near Luxor, Egypt after diverting from Cairo due to low visibility. Aircraft shot tso approaches at Cairo before diverting. News media speaks of running out of fuel and crashing into six houses and three classrooms. Initial report of fatalities were the eight Nigerian crew members and one 51 yr old Egyptian woman on the ground. Serious injuries were sustained by one other adult woman on the ground and four children. One of the children reportedly died later. No report of fire.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Another note said, “Operator “Nigerian date “12-15-88 Nigerian Airlines reportedly fired 3,000 employees. This included their ‘manager’ or ‘General Manager’. No further details.”</p><p><br /></p><p>I learned from Chuck Watkinson, the McDonnell Douglas contract administrator for Nigeria that there had been a riot at the airline and the army had to be called out to quell it. As a result of the riot 3,000 of the 8,000 employees were fired. The most critical two were Okojo, the Managing Director and Legal Advisor who was in the process of reviewing our contract prior to signature. The contract needs to be signed quickly so that title transfer can occur on 12-23-88.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Those who had been on previous delivery flights of airplanes to Nigeria reported that it was best to go to a luxurious facility in Lagos and stay there until it was time to return home. There were all sorts of horror stories as to why one didn’t want leave that facility and travel more widely in Nigeria.</p><p><br /></p><p>As it happened, Susan had scheduled a visit to her sister in Marfa Texas; so Nigeria and Bangladesh (the later offered a side trip to Kathmandu) were out of the question. Susan’s sister’s husband, was in the Border Patrol and took me on a consolation trip along some of the places on the border where illegals were known to cross. We didn’t see any on that trip. </p><p><br /></p><p>Perhaps Ali had assumed I would be on the delivery flight and he could say whatever he wanted to say to me then, but on 12-23-88 Susan and I were on the way to Marfa. Whenever Nigeria makes the news I do wonder what it would have been like to have gone there, something I never really wanted to do, but when one’s mind wanders, that sort of thing is bound to come up.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-7856775368706862252024-02-18T21:27:00.000-08:002024-02-18T21:27:06.801-08:00Unhappiness of Kunsan and 29 Palms<p><br /></p><p>29 Palms was my first duty station after I got back from Korea. My first day there I took a towel and started toward the sand in back of the barrack. "Where you going," someone asked? "To work on my tan." He and a couple of his buddies snickered. "Not out there you won't." It was one of the hot months which are all mostly intolerable. I lasted a very few minutes. Someone pointed to the outside thermometer which read 137 degrees Fahrenheit. I had a taste of a non-hot period during which high winds hammered us with sand if we dared to go outside.</p><p><br /></p><p>We didn't have air conditioning back then. We had "swamp coolers" which as far as I could tell increased the humidity but didn't lower the temperature. I hear they now have air conditioning and other improvements at 29 Palms. I don't care. I don't like thinking about that place. I once met a former Marine who retired to 29 Palms town and I asked him "why." I don't recall his answer. I was stuck with "why?"</p><p><br /></p><p>Yes, the stars. It was eight miles from the base to the "town" which had two movie theaters. One was a modern theater for the day (1953) and the other was for lesser movies like Westerns and had a cover over the front seats but further back you sat under the stars. I typically walked or jogged the 8 miles although Marines going to or from with cars would stop for me if I was interested.</p><p><br /></p><p>I can't recollect how long I was at 29 Palms. It seemed like years. I notice went around that they were looking for Marines who had fired expert to transfer to Camp Pendleton as rifle coaches. I was first in line for that.</p><p><br /></p><p>Korea, if you don't count the war, was better duty than 29 Palms. Camp Pendleton was my best duty station. I had a knack for coaching -- never dropped a shooter (that is, never allowed a shooter to fire below 180). Kept up a quiet chatter with the worst of my shooters telling them to trust me rather than their own minds Years later Susan questioned my approach saying, "what happens when one of your shooters goes into combat and you are not there telling him what to do?" Don't know, but the senior coaches liked my results, promoted me to senior coach and let me run the coaching while they spent their time in the slop chute. I might have stayed in the corps if I could have remained a coach, but once all the Marines assigned to us were qualified (or failed to qualify); then the coaches would be sent back to their "parent" duty stations, which for me would have been 29 Palms; so when my enlistment was up, I decided to get out, take the G.I. Bill and get a formal education.</p><p><br /></p><p>The trip to Korea involved going by boat (the General Gordon) to Japan (Kobe) and after a few days flown by DC-3 to Korea. My first job after college was at Douglas Aircraft Company at their Missiles and Space division in Santa Monica and Culver City. After the program I was working on, Skybolt, was cancelled, I transferred to Long Beach to work in the engineering department of the Aircraft division. Douglas had one Project Engineer, Clark Scott, to handle all DC-3 work and I got to know him fairly well. After Scott retired there were no more project engineers assigned to the DC-3. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>There were at least two instances in my life when I stopped and took stock of my life, that is, where I was at the time, and how depressed I was to be there. The first was in Korea shortly after I got to the USMC base at Kunsan. I had learned that transfers to the front line were no longer being permitted; so I was going to be where I was for 13 months. I stood at the barbed wire fence separating the base from the Yellow Sea and tried to see the sea, but saw nothing. I saw an empty stretch of sand as far as my eyes could see. I learned later that the Yellow Sea, at least at our location, had the longest tide in existence. The Bay of Fundy has the highest, but the Yellow sea had the longest. When it was in would lap through our barbed wire fence a short distance, but when it as out, it could no longer be seen. My depression as it happened was short lived. One day an Indian sergeant named Emhoolah asked me if I was part Indian. My mother believed she was 1/8 Illinoiq which meant I was 1/16th Indian; so I told Emhoolah that I was. I learned a few years ago, thanks to a DNA check by Ancestry.com that my mother was wrong. I have no Indian ancestry at all, but I didn't know that back then. Emhoolah said that since he was the only full-blooded Indian on the base that he was the Chief and by virtue of his rank ordered all his minions to show up at the slop chute at the end of every day when they weren't on duty. I neither drank nor smoked before joining Emhoolah's "tribe," but I learned to do both. A lot of other things went on, mostly fun and enjoyable. I didn't regret not being able to go to the front line for long.</p><p><br /></p><p>The second time was quite a bit more austere. I had been accepted as a rifle coach and was waiting with my seabag for the bus that was to take me to Camp Pendleton. I stood for a long time next to my seabag, waiting. I looked about me. 29 Palms did the Yellow Sea one better. There was sand almost 360 degrees from where I stood waiting. Surely my life in the Corps couldn't be worse than this. I resolved to remember this time if in the future I ever felt depressed. However bad such a future time might be, it couldn't be as bad as standing there in the middle of that miserable nothing waiting for a bus that took a very long time coming.</p><div><br /></div>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-86772698419888147922024-02-04T06:19:00.000-08:002024-02-04T06:19:21.051-08:00Blacklist and the storm<p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>At the end of Season two</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Elizabeth Keen saves Red</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who may or may not be</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Her father. Meanwhile</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Back here in San Jacinto</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My daughters are on </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The other side of the </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Volcano. Years ago</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Daughters moved with</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Husbands to the next</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Village. Now the weather</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Changes and an atmospheric</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>River begins to fall.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Will it quench the volcano</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Or merely annoy?</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And shall I after</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nightmares hide</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Here with Season three</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And Jessica who is not</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My daughter but</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Does her very best?</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-38609443861557774472024-01-29T19:20:00.000-08:002024-02-01T10:58:26.246-08:00The Sheriff's Husband<p> <span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>24-8 The Sheriff’s Husband</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>She found him in his study,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Reading what, today?</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Still The Dawn of Human</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Culture – quite a lot there,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> g</span>oing slowly. Maybe the most</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>up to date book on these subjects.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“The latest on skeletons being </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>unearthed?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span> <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I wouldn’t</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>put it that way, but yes.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“We still out of Africa,” Susan</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> s</span>miled at him widely and sat</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>in his lap.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Yep. They’re still working on</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>he dates, though. We were sort </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>of ‘us,’ physically about 300,000</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>years ago, but really ‘us’ from </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>about 50,000 years ago.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Seems like we’re getting more</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>‘us’ all the time,” Susan smirked.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Maybe so. Discoveries are being</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>made with DNA research every year.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Speaking of which, how long does</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a </span>body have to be in the ground </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> b</span>efore all the flesh is gone?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“what a strange question. None </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>of what I’m reading touches on </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>hat sort of thing.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Well, you appointed me Sheriff,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> s</span>o it’s the sort of thing I ought </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to know.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Okay. It will depend on the </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>temperature, how well the body</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> i</span>s buried, predators with access,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>that sort of thing, but I’ll do some </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>checking. You got a body?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Actually, I just hired a deputy,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>and I don’t want to seem as dumb</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>as I really am.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“A deputy? What are you paying</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> h</span>im? I don’t pay you anything</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>so I’ll be fascinated by your answer.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“He’s a she, much as in our</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>case, she’s a lot tougher than her</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>husband.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Do you need a deputy?</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Actually, I need a friend. I told</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>her there won’t be much pay – maybe</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>supplies as necessary. She’s got a </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>better SUV than I do, by the way.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Larry spun her around “I told you</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to get something more up to date, but</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>you said you were attached to that old</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Liberty. Go ahead and get something</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>new. I don’t like the idea of your </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>breaking down in the middle of nowhere.”</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“It won’t be that dire, especially if </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lydia is my deputy. But I’ll think </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>some more about a newer Jeep.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Lydia? That’s an old fashioned name.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“She’s a bit old fashioned, in the </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Old Testament sense.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Whatever that means”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“She’s a bit old fashioned sort of like</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>those Cro-magnon you were telling</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>me about.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“We still don’t know about them</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>in detail. They did get out of hand</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>perhaps, killing way too many people.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“You told me about their killing off</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>the Neanderthals”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“That’s just a theory, and maybe a </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>crackpot theory at that.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Anyway, I like Lydia and she can</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>back me up if I need backup, etcetera.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“She have any experience?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Ex-military. I’ll find out more as time</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>goes on, but I can already tell she’s fearless.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“As fearless as my wife?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Maybe not quite, but close.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Later on Sue took the paperwork to</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lydia for her signature.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Wait,” Lydia said “The date is wrong.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You’ve got me working for you the day</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>before we met.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Which is also the day before you shot</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>your Neanderthal in your back yard</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>while you were on duty.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Ah.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Also, since you were so forward thinking, </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>we need to set up a plot of land and call </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>it Boot Hill. Let’s put Boot Hill half way</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>on your property and halfway on mine.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Your Neanderthal will be the first member</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>of out Boot Hill.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“The first?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Well, yeah,” Susan smirked. “I don’t know</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>you all that well or how many people you</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>plan to kill.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“I don’t want to kill anyone. I wouldn’t have</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>killed the Neanderthal if he hadn’t attacked me.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“That’s good to hear,” Susan said, sticking out</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>her right hand, “Welcome aboard.”</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-67178894591508112012024-01-29T19:18:00.000-08:002024-02-01T11:03:16.433-08:00Frontier Justice<p> <span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>24-7<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Frontier Justice</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Joseph and Lydia Campbell.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“That’s us. She’s twenty-eight.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We’ve only been married a month.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“How old are you, sir?</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Don’t know what that has to do</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> w</span>ith anything, but I’m forty-two.”</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“This is sounding more and more </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> l</span>ike your wife changed her mind.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“After just one Month?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Back in the Corps I met plenty</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> o</span>f women, men, too, who would</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> d</span>o it in a lot less time than that.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He sighed and just then they heard</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span> shot. “That might be her now,”</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Susan said.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And they ran around back,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Trooper leading.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Lydia!” Joe exclaimed</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> i</span>n shock.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lydia whirled as they came up, a three-</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> f</span>ifty-seven in one hand. Lying on</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>he ground in front of her was a man</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> i</span>n shabby jeans, breathing his last.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>She looked over at Joe and then<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>t Sue, “who’s this,” she asked,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> p</span>ointing her gun at Sue. “The </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span> </span><span> </span>Sheriff, </span>Hon. Let me take that </p><p><span> </span><span> </span>gun now -- if you’re done with it.”</p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Oh, I’m done all right. He caught</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> m</span>e off guard and was planning to </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>ake me off, but he didn’t want to</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> l</span>eave here with just me; so he was</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> l</span>oading his truck, real careful like.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But when you came back I got</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> m</span>y own gun and shot the son of</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a b</span>itch”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“So we see,” Sue said, perplexed.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“So are you going to arrest me,” </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lydia asked, still waving her gun?</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sue gulped, “don’t seem like that</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> w</span>ould be the right thing to do,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> d</span>oes it?” Joe and Lydia </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> s</span>hook their heads. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Do you know who he was,” </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Susan asked Lydia? </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Said he was from</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Tennessee, just passing through</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> w</span>hen he saw something he liked.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Meaning you,” Susan asked?</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Meaning me. But I’m already </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> m</span>arried to Joe and not tired of him</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>fter just one month so I shot him.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Don’t blame you a bit for that,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sue said. “Do either of you have </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>ny plan for what to do with his </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span> </span><span> </span>body a</span>nd car?”</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“There’s a gorge on my property. </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I was just looking at yesterday, I could </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> d</span>ig around in that and cover him right</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> p</span>roper.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And his car, Sue asked? </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“How about I drive it to</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Phoenix, leave it at the airport and </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lydia follows and brings me back?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Lots of cameras at the airport,” Sue</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> s</span>aid.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Yeah, okay. We’ll leave it near the</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>irport with the keys in the ignition”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“That should work,” Sue said,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>houghtfully. The town Mayor will</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>ppreciate you-all taking care</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> o</span>f this mess and not costing him</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>nything from dealing with </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span> </span><span> </span>this piece o</span>f shit.”</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Joseph and Lydia nodded enthusiastically.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“I guess I don’t need to tell you we need</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>o keep this just amongst ourselves.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Joseph and Lydia nodded once again</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> and w</span>ith just as much enthusiasm.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-60744246358607414032024-01-29T19:16:00.000-08:002024-02-01T09:11:41.422-08:00Hot Pursuit<p> <span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>24-6<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hot Pursuit</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Susan strapped on her Taurus 605</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>nd said, “let’s just take our </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> h</span>ot-pursuit Jeep and see where</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> h</span>e goes.” Trooper was up in</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>An instant, wagging his tail.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>They climbed into the old Jeep</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Liberty and followed the dust.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The man took a side road and</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> e</span>ventually stopped in front</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> o</span>f a well-kept house. He</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> w</span>alked to his front door </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>nd stood looking back</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>t Susan and Trooper as</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>hey got out of their Jeep</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>nd followed him. He scowled,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“You won’t help me; so what </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> d</span>o you want?” </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“We didn’t finish</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> q</span>uite right. I need your wife’s</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> n</span>ame and yours too in case </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> s</span>omething happens in the future</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>o where I need those things.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Like what,” he snapped back</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> w</span>ith belligerence?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Like if </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> s</span>he were to turn up dead and </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> f</span>ound lying in your back forty.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He smirked, “you don’t mince</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> w</span>ords, do you?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“I try not to.”</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-21396609808584526512024-01-29T19:15:00.000-08:002024-02-01T10:45:19.837-08:00Ghost Town Sheriff<p> [Not exactly poems, 24-5, 24-6, 24-7, and 24-8 are a dream sequence that got out of hand]</p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>24-5 Ghost-town Sheriff <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Are you the Sheriff, ma’am?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“As much as anyone, I guess.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have you got a problem?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“And is that your police dog?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“That’s him, Trooper. Can’t</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> d</span>o all the tricks a shepherd</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> c</span>an but he can track and fight.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Listens to me most of the time, too</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which is a big plus; so what’s</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> y</span>our problem?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Can’t find my wife.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Where was she supposed to be?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“At home, of course, but I got</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> h</span>ome just now and she wasn’t</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>here. Her car was gone as well.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Could she have gone to the store?”</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“What store? I do all the shopping.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“That’s creepy.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“She does other things,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Don’t like to shop.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“This wife of yours, is she a woman?</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Of course. I have to find her.” </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Well you could hire someone</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> p</span>rivate. Might have to go</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>o Phoenix for that. I’d try</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Prescott first.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Why couldn’t you</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> d</span>o that?”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Well, my jurisdiction is</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>his town and its environs, meaning</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>ll the small farms and houses round</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>bout. Town council would fire me</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> r</span>ight quick if I took to traipsing to </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hell and gone after your wife.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He gave her a hard look. Trooper</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> g</span>rowled and the man strode</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>ngrily away. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Anything I can actually</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> h</span>elp you with?” She called after him, </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> b</span>ut he didn’t answer. “Guess not.” They</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> w</span>atched him walk down the street </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> t</span>o a Ford Ranger. “We didn’t get</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> h</span>is name or his wife’s either. We’re</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> a</span>lready doing a bad job and it’s not</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> q</span>uite noon.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Trooper groaned and lay back down.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-67416494245387885152024-01-29T06:25:00.000-08:002024-01-29T06:25:45.147-08:00A Surly Old Man<p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Perhaps it was Cro-Magnon </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Influence in my complicated</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>DNA impelling me against</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Monsters in China stopping</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My peers at a line – a </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Truce was signed, a “stay</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>here” line. Far to the </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>South I heard, “We don’t</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Need you up there,” but</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>That is where I want</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To be.” The sergeant</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Shrugged at my naivete,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My new friends shrugged</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As well so I settled in.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Years later the wounds</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I carry weren’t earned</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In war. No monster </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Struck me down, and the</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Citizenry leaves me be as</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>They did my Cro-Magnon</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Forbears as days fade.</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-13574057896289513822024-01-26T20:47:00.000-08:002024-01-26T20:47:24.082-08:00Twins<p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There were two, one</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stacked upon the other</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which I carried with</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>One hand, the other </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Needing the walking</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stick to keep us</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Upright, and the cakes</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>From smearing the dirt</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Path with white frosting.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It isn’t so bad being old.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No one will wonder if I fall,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If the cakes are lost</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>On this strange trail no one</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Else seems interested in.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Out of breath I stop</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And lean my stick</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Against a tree.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Jessica lies down next to me</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And licks the frosting from a cake.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I rescue the other for myself.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No one wonders or complains.</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-16826982205715831272024-01-26T20:38:00.000-08:002024-01-26T20:38:58.296-08:00A Little Rain<p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Through the bathroom window</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I saw it was raining again;</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Not hard, probably, and in the</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dream I recalled a need</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To poison all the bad guys.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No need for me to do it literally.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I had a clever girl for that.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I’ve known a lot of those</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Over the years, evolution</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Doing that neatly round about.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This one was not precise;</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So the dream was a comedy.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>She kept forgetting who </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Was left, and laughing.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No one had actually</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Started to die. We</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Needed to flee, but she</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Smiled on, not worrying,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Doing her humorous job.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Then the scene changed</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sparing me a grisly end.</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-17317995398912614252024-01-24T14:14:00.000-08:002024-01-24T14:14:31.630-08:00Losing her again<p><span> </span><span> </span>She is lost again</p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Swirling just out of </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Memory’s reach – </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The reality of her</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Slips from her</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Favorite tree to </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fall gently down. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I reach out as far</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As I’m able and other</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Thoughts approach,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Regrets – nothing</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>From her. Across</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The street a young</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Man starts his </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Thunderous car. She</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Would not have </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Returned to sleep. I see</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Less well so each</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Step is a challenge as</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I turn toward the rest</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Of the years without her.</span></p><div><br /></div>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-46447942527336387452024-01-24T13:17:00.000-08:002024-01-24T13:17:08.748-08:00Being bipedal while old<p> </p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When I came down</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Out of the trees</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I was on my way</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Back from Korea </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>On a ship filled </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>With vomiting Marines.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Everyone did it:</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Walked on two legs,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So I did as well,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But the older I got</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The more I longed</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>For the trees –</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Not those in my </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Back yard with weak</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Limbs that grow too</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Large to hold onto,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But those easily grasped</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the forest I </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dream of still:</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When we were young</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And full of wild ways.</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-62846496866224070802023-11-27T13:57:00.000-08:002023-11-27T13:57:31.352-08:00Ha Jin on Li Po, the Shui Hu Chuan the benefits of travel as well as reading<p> In The Banished Immortal: A life of Li Bai, Ha Jin on page 22 writes in regard to Li Bai’s (aka Li Po’s) education, “Traditionally, in one’s education, travel was regarded as equally important as the study of books. An ancient adage says that one must read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles to become an educated man. So in his late teens Li Bai began to roam the neighboring counties and towns.”</p><p><br /></p><p>In my late teens I traveled by ship from San Francisco to Japan and from Japan to Korea. I was stationed in Korea for thirteen months, and returned to San Francisco in the same fashion. If I remember correctly, a boatload of we-Marines boarded the General Gordon on Treasure Island in San Francisco bay and sailed to Osaka Japan which took thirteen days. As the crow flies, that is about 5400 miles. We came back thirteen months later in the same fashion although I don’t recall the name of the ship. </p><p><br /></p><p>Li Bai did some of his traveling by sea (on the Fu River for example) as well, but I’ll concede that 10,800 miles on board a ship with a large number of seasick Marines probably wouldn’t seem very edifying to Chinese traditionalists. However, I did do some traveling within Japan (on two R&R trips) and within Korea (from Kunsan to Cheju Do) which were a bit more educational. One thinks while reading Ha of the American tradition of sending one’s children to Europe as part of their education. I’m tempted to think my experiences in Japan and Korea were not as edifying as some teen-agers trips, say, from Boston to Europe for several months, but perhaps Ha Jin would disagree. I did acquire a love for Chinese and Japanese literature from some place.</p><p><br /></p><p>Li Bai was perhaps designedly interested in expanding his education by his travels for when he learned something of the Daoist Zhao Rui (659?-742?), Li Bai stopped traveling to become his student. Zhao was renowned for having wild birds land on his arm and Li Bai was enabled to do that as well which, according to Ha Jin so impressed the Royal Court that both Bai and Jhao were invited to become part of the government. They declined. </p><p><br /></p><p>Zhao taught Li Bai practical subjects too – military tactics, agriculture, medicine. Together they practiced swordsmanship . . .” I was trained in small unit military tactics as well as in the use of weaponry such small units used, e.g., rifles, grenades, machine guns. <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><br /></p><p>While I was never a student of Daoism I did have a memorable experience with it. Like Li Bai, I found Taoism (as I understood – probably misunderstood it) more interesting than Buddhism. At one chaotic point on probably the DC-10 program I had a small group responsible for preparing engineering quotations. The McDonnell Douglas hired a large number of people, as they did at the start of any new program and one of the new hires allotted to me was a retired Navy Chief with a most insulting and rebellious attitude. His work was not adequate, but he insisted that it was. I was reading the Texts of Taoism, The Tao Te Chin, The Writings of Chuang-Tzu, The Thai-Shang, translated by James Legge at the time and decided to put one of its precepts in practice. I did nothing intended as an opposing act. I cleaned up the Chief’s work, rewrote it and did not report its (and his) inadequacies to my supervision. Shortly thereafter I was asked to rate all the people working for me and I rated the Chief last. When questioned about him, I made few and slightly evasive answers. My boss, possibly doubting me – or more likely, believing me but needing to experience the Chief for himself, had him work directly for him for a time. After a few weeks my boss called me into his office and asked me how I was able to tolerate this fellow. I believe I told him it was easier to redo his work than make a fuss. The chief was shortly thereafter laid off. </p><p><br /></p><p>I can’t recall whether I was influenced by Taoism on other occasions. On the contrary I recall occasions where the application of Taoism would have been better than the acrimony I engaged in. </p><p><br /></p><p>I returned from Korea in 1953 and in perhaps 1957 took an upper division course in early Chinese History. I was, to return to the concept of being educated by travel, impressed with some of what I’d learned from the Japanese. And in reading about the Japanese learned to appreciate the Chinese as well. Being more interested in literature than history, I chose as my term project the reading of the Shui Hu Chuan even though I was warned that it would be a grueling experience. The translator was Pearl S. Buck who wrote, “I should like readers who do not know that language to have at least the illusion that they are reading an original work. . . I have attempted to preserve the original meaning and style even to the point of leaving unenlivened those parts which are less interesting in the Chinese also. </p><p><br /></p><p>In the December 7, 2023 issue of The New York Review of Books is a review of Ha Jin’s The Woman Back from Moscow: In Pursuit of Beauty. The reviewer, Perry Link, writes, “The book will be denounced in Beijing. Ha Jin’s The Woman Back from Moscow is a novel based on the life of Sun Weishi, an adopted daughter of Chinese premier Zhou Enlai.” I doubt I’ll read the novel. Ha Jin who fled China during the Tiananmen Square era is here engaged in “truth telling.” “Scandal is popular everywhere, of course, but in Communist China historical truth-telling carries special weight, because it questions the legitimacy of the regime.” Commendable without doubt, but not something I want to read more of. </p><p><br /></p><p>I read quite a lot about China after the Korean war. I recall reading a biography of Vinegar Joe Stilwell who was the American General whose task it was to support Chiang Kai Shek in the Chinese battles against the Japanese. Stilwell was disgusted with Chiang who used American support to fight Mao. Stilwell argued that since Mao and his forces were effectively fighting the Japanese, America’s money would be better spent supporting Mao. The old-time China-hands in America were very influential and they liked Chiang. Stilwell called him “Peanut.” </p><p><br /></p><p>Given what we now know about Mao and his aftermath, I think Stilwell was wrong in not supporting Chiang more than he did. But here I confess that I haven’t studied the history of Taiwan since Chiang and his army moved there. But neither have I read much about South Korean history. Shih Nai-an, the Chinese author of the Shui Hu Chuan wrote, “A man who lives until he is thirty years of age without marrying should not marry. A man who has not been governor before the age of forty should not then seek for a governorship. At fifty years he should not found a home, nor at sixty set out upon travels Why is this said? Because the time for such things is passed and he will, if he undertake them, have little space left to him in which to enjoy them.”</p><p><br /></p><p>But I am reading Ha Jin’s biography of Li Bai (Li Po) and do hope I have enough time to enjoy it. Pearl Buck would no doubt sympathize with my inability to enjoy the English translations of Li Bai’s poetry that I’ve thus far read, but I accept that it is as beautiful as they say in the original Chinese. I once upon a time acquired some texts that had I applied myself sufficiently would have enable me to learn Chinese, but Li Bai wrote in a script that has been abandoned in China and after a few months of struggling, I abandoned it as well. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal; white-space: pre;"> </span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-72029838369213231002023-10-18T19:16:00.004-07:002023-10-18T19:26:20.974-07:00Falling<p> A few years ago, I read most of Harold Bloom’s last book. In it he wrote of having reached the age of 90. I checked his dates and learned that he died well before the age of 90. Perhaps he assumed he would be 90 by the time the book was published. Perhaps he was counting his age as some in Israel do, counting the birthdate nine months prior to the date he appeared outside of his mother. He also said that if he didn’t fall again, he ought to make it to – and I can’t recall what his goal was. I decided to look for my copy of his book to find out, but I haven’t been able to find it. I’ve done so much reorganization of my books that except for a few subjects, mostly Biblical, everything else is chaos. </p><p><br /></p><p>I thought especially of Bloom while doing some yard work a few minutes ago. Squirrel have dug up my yard in various places and since my gardener mows in such a way as to make the grass that one sees even, it is impossible to see the low spots where the squirrels have dug. I thought I was thinking clearly enough, but probably not and I stepped in one of those low spots and fell sharply on my tail bone. I wondered if I had done the dreaded thing and broken my hip, but it didn’t feel like I’d broken anything and I was able to get up, after which I decided to give up the idea of doing yard work and go back into the house. </p><p><br /></p><p>Why didn’t I break something as Bloom and Susan did? My regular workouts with free weights are purported to build bone strength, and perhaps they do. Sitting here typing as I am, I feel a slight bit of discomfort in the tail-bone area, but nothing alarming. </p><p><br /></p><p>I have been reading the Jessica Anderson series of novels by D. L. Keur. I’m currently reading novel number 6, Troubled Pursuit. In it, Sheriff Landon Reid, probably the eventual love interest of the protagonist Jessica, but Dawn L. Keur is being coy about getting them that far – novel number six and they aren’t there yet. She is very patient. At present, Landon is still recovering from a head injury. He had hitherto been quick-witted, but for a few months his thinking has been muddled. I suspect he would have fallen in my backyard as well – well, maybe not. Perhaps Jessica Anderson would have grabbed his arm before he went down. I wondered as I put my yard tools away and walked back into the house whether I should perhaps look for my own Jessica, other than the one presently lying on her side a few feet from me on the floor. We could take turns taking each other to doctors’ appointments. After thinking that scenario over for a few moments, I think I’d rather get a second dog – a male, because my present Jessica is purported to take a dim view of dogs of the same sex being part of her household. </p><div><br /></div>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-63249193045757325062023-07-25T08:37:00.004-07:002023-07-25T08:47:08.489-07:00Duffy's Last Day<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He nestled his nose in the </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Crook of my arm, breathing</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Out one hot breath after the </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other, trusting me as he</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Always had, his whole life</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Long. Then the vet lifted</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Him onto the table. I stood,</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Petting him as his heart slowed</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>While the vet listened. She</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Looked up, nodding. I looked</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Down, not able to look up as</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I left. On hikes when he was </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Out of sight I used to call</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Duffy, I can’t see you.”</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He always appeared. I</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wanted to do that again.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Later on at home, I meant </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to call Jessica, but said “Duffy”</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Instead. I corrected myself</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> But </span>Jessica watched the</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> H</span>all a long time, waiting. </span></p><div><br /></div>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-4303362246000780662023-07-18T10:38:00.006-07:002023-07-18T10:38:32.891-07:00Prey II<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If on the other hand</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He walked with Jessica</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Whose teeth and jaws </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Are wolf-like enough<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To make the most perverted</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Decide not to express his</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nature while she growled,</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No shadow would</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Crowd this pairing He</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wouldn’t mind her pulling,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And even if he stumbled</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>She would wait with strong</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Shoulders braced while</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He used them to stand,</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And if some off-leash</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dog were to approach,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Her snarling ferocity</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Would abash it,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And one twice its size.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wherever his progeny</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>She would always be there.</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-8020681555201857522023-07-18T10:36:00.006-07:002023-07-18T10:36:49.037-07:00Prey I<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The old man’s attempts</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To disguise his hobble</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Are of no avail. He</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Eyes with weak eyes</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Each shadow and tries</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To make his stick</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pound the pavement</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>With more force than</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He any longer has.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A keening sound hounds</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Him from time to time.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Is someone out there </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Or is it an aberrant noise</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>From his hearing aid?</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He shines a light</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Beyond, fearful he’ll</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Trip on a raised piece</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Of concrete. Would</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He be able to get back up,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Or would the shadows</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Get him before he did? </span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-8851362195730820322023-07-18T10:35:00.004-07:002023-07-18T10:35:27.567-07:00Breathing<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Not all at once perhaps</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But by fits and starts</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pervading the roadsides,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The dry shrubs and small</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Trees, the air is full of it.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Breathing they say</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Will kill the old</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If they do it too much.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I don’t know how</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Much that is,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nor how to take</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It. Nothing <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Is ever</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>That simple.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I look at all the leaves</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Beneath the trees</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fearful they’ll catch.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Behind me my old dog</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Coughs. He has been</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Breathing a long </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Long time.</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-15893842254058111942023-07-18T10:33:00.007-07:002023-07-18T10:33:48.969-07:00Hot wind <p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He sucked in the air</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Heavy with dread.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Looking out he saw</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The flames and a </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Moment more </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The “inland forest”</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Burning. He </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Measured its <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Bearing. With the </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wind behind, pushing</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He needed no urging</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And raced through the</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Night with the fire</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Snarling behnd.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Was this the final</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Warning, or</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A mere beast one</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sometimes sees</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the smoke</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Before an angry</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wind leads it away.</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-63097266389874431832023-07-18T10:32:00.001-07:002023-07-18T10:32:15.396-07:00Trash<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The long-handled hoe</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>For the weed, the grass</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Chopping in late afternoon.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the morning the shoulder,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The hand, and the head</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Looking down each</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Passing season.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Look up,” I’ve heard,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Thy redemption draweth</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nigh.” My eyes water</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When I try. I’ve </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Taken my rake </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To the weeds </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And seen them</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Into a barrel</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which I push</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And shove out</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Front and do look</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This way and that</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>For the trash truck</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I hear drawing nigh.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-14113871284508364802023-07-18T10:29:00.000-07:002023-07-18T10:29:02.607-07:00 The Last Dive<p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Clumsily struggling to water’s</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Edge with his stick helping,</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He looked out at the rock</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Promontories and imagined</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The perch and opaleye.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nearly falling he snatched</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A handful of sand, standing,</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Letting it fall through his </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fingers, he remembered</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Susan at the tiller while</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He shortened sail</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>On the way to</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Long Point in a </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stormy sea.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He had dropped over</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The side and speared </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Some fish they had no</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Appetite to eat, </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Swinging as they </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Were at anchor</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In that angry sea.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal; white-space: pre;"> </span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-53869272785995480612023-06-25T20:01:00.002-07:002023-06-25T20:01:48.900-07:00On leaving a body of writings to one's descendants<p> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>https://www.wired.com/story/my-fathers-death-in-7-gigabytes-internet-archive/</span></p><p><br /></p><p>The above brief article is an interesting WIRED magazine tale. An irascible (English?) Professor died at age 90 leaving an enormous body of his writings, apparently all of which were unpublished. He wanted his daughter to preserve them in some way and she did, in an internet archive that comprised seven gigabytes. </p><p><br /></p><p>The irascible professor wrote a lot of poetry throughout his life, apparently trying to publish it early on and when he was unsuccessful in that, declared that “it was their loss” and no longer tried to publish, but continued writing. Did he think that he might be “discovered” at some future date? There have been notable such discoveries in literary history which he would surely have been aware of.</p><p><br /></p><p>The above tale does resemble mine to some degree. I went through a Bachelor’s degree and halfway through a Masters degree before contenting myself to a life in Engineering. But I wasn’t utterly content in that field, however competent I might have been. I continued to write poetry. For several years I worked (Engineering work) with Lee Griffith who accomplished a Masters Degree in English from Duke University. His specialty had been, when he still thought he might ultimately become a Professor of English Literature, Poetic Criticism. Thus, I would regularly write and he would regularly criticize, using the latest criticism from Duke at the time. And so I was encouraged to keep on writing. Occasionally I would send something off, not so much wanting to publish as doing what was expected. Eventually, Lee was caught in a layoff and went someplace else in aerospace to work, but I kept on writing.</p><p><br /></p><p>Along with the poetry, I’ve written the occasional essay, and numerous letters which might be of interest to my descendants. And when I think of having my writings preserved, along the lines of the aforementioned cantankerous English Professor, it isn’t with a few, or much of one, of being eventually recognized. I have had a number of interests over the years and one of them has been genealogy. My great-grandfather on my father’s side was Schuyler V. Helm, who lived from 1834 to 1882. He fought in the American Civil War on the side of the North as an engineer (an interesting coincidence in that I was born exactly 100 years after he was and worked in aerospace as an engineer). I acquired his military records but there was nothing personal in them. At the end of the war, he was well thought of and was promoted from sergeant (another coincidence. I was a sergeant in the USMC) to lieutenant, which meant that he could have stayed in had he wanted to, but he took his severance pay, and bought a plot of land in “Indian Country” in what is today Iowa. I speculate that he was wounded in the way in that he didn’t live very long, only 48 years. (Although another Ancestry.com thread has him being born in 1841 and dying in 1904 in South Dakota which death location has the advantage of being where my grandmother, Bertha Freeman, had family which she occasionally visited when I was small, but Schuyler’s war records support the dates I mentioned.) All of which is to say, if one of my own descendants of descendant of a friend, or related to my second wife, expressed an interest in whom I was, there would be a cache of information in a cloud some place referenced in Ancestry.com or its like. </p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-3392950748561736172023-06-03T06:58:00.006-07:002023-06-03T06:58:40.069-07:00Looking elsewhere<p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I’d never seen that look </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Despite seeing her on every</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Page, the thinking of everyone</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Long dead, whatever living</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>On the edge might mean --</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Out on the fringe of what</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Was known, what suspected.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Great swirls of yellow</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And orange, a veil</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I slithered past and there</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Beside me the latest book</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I was reading, she stood</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Staring down at hands that</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Had once been graceful </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And fine but were now </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Gnarled from grasping</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>More life for my sake.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>She turned with a smile</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>That should have persuaded</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Me she was drowning</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In agony’s seas.</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126505819071547839.post-802520197680075192023-06-03T06:01:00.000-07:002023-06-03T06:01:02.546-07:00Shopping<p> </p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“One man down,” I </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fell, little thoughts</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Grasping for the half-out</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Woman I struggled to</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dream back in. Saddened</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>By my inability, she</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Longed, I felt for</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A resumption of our</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Striving to finish</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The project we’d begun.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We rolled around</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In our presumptive</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Belief that we’d have </span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Time to exercise</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Our hearts, our</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Resolutions, with just</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A few more minutes</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Of productive dreaming.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I looked for her down</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Each aisle, but she was</span></p><p><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No longer in the store.</span></p>Lawrence Helmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215801232171928120noreply@blogger.com0