Author: Randi Alexandra Plake

Neil Springborn is very proud of his children and grandchildren. Son Jeff is in charge of the National Weather Service in Houston. Daughter Kristy was selected by her company to go to Peru and teach computer techniques at the university. Her daughter is a sophomore at Oregon U, just finished a semester in China (Singapore). His other son manages a building supply store in Muskogee. Finally, his other daughter is in California and is an accomplished barrel racer.

Dick Goldman attended an event to mark the 100th anniversary of his golf course. He also moderated a seminar on charitable giving at the Wesleyan Lawyers Group. Mark Davis ’96 of Wesleyan attended.

A note from Bart Bolton reminds me how fortunate I am to have moved from Wilmington, N.C.

An e-mail from Roger Turkington tells of his hope that the English department at Wes Tech will buy a copy of his third volume of poetry, which will go on sale in April.

Bill Richards’ granddaughter, Riley ’21, just transferred to Wesleyan. She will make a Richards in each century: a grandfather was in the Class of 1869, he was in 1958, and she will be 2021.

Hurricanes seem to have frightened Burr and Pirkko. Any plans to relocate to Florida are on hold. They are happy in their remote corner of France.

My old roommate, Dan Woodhead, is very proud of his son’s children. Jeff and wife Laura have two sons who are excelling at water polo at Stanford. A daughter is also a promising water polo player.

No rest for Ezra Amsterdam. While on sabbatical he is working on a book on heart disease for lay persons. And he continues with his passion for tennis.

Betsy and Dick Tompkins are in Minnesota for the summer and go back to their home in Florida in October. He hopes we will have a 65th Reunion.

Barbara and Frank Vietze wrote to tell me about their son-in-law, Dr. David Mangus, who teaches biotechnology at Brockton, Mass., high school.

Dennis Allee and his partner, Annie, split their time between the Outer Cape, Mass., and St. Pete, Fla. Dennis recently saw Mel Cote, who lost wife Polly last fall. Dennis recalls that Mel started lacrosse at Wesleyan along with John Spurdle ’59. Dennis reports that Art Geltzer is off on another exotic tour. Dennis keeps busy with a jazz radio program on womr.org every other Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m.

Liz and Neil Henry enjoyed two weeks on Ocracoke, leaving there a couple of days before Hurricane Flo.

Tony Codding, whose wife is deceased, lives in New Hampshire and takes Caribbean cruises to escape the New England winters.

Bill Barnes found the Reunion most enjoyable. He compliments Goldman, Corkran, Seabury, Krenz, and Hordlow for various contributions. He also echoes a thought of mine: Let us have a 65th Reunion.

Old Reliable, John Corkran, was busy as usual. He and Toni, recovered from a shoulder injury, drove their pickup to Glacier Park in late July. They camped at Bowman Lake, where his mother and her father and siblings began camping in 1913! On the way home, they drove through Yellowstone, where they encountered a bison traffic jam. John’s oldest grandchild graduated with honors from the University of Rhode Island.

Kay and I attended a family wedding on Martha’s Vineyard in early September. We are both in good health and continue our leisure activities at an appropriate pace for our age, which means we are slowing down. Keep the info flowing.

Cliff Hordlow | Khordlow@gmail.com
Apt. 103, 4645 Winged Foot Court | Naples, FL 34112; 239/732-6821

It seems like a long time past—summer, that is—so here go a couple of recollections.

Dick Cassie and son Scott toured Russia. Scott was a history major at Trinity. Dick’s message was illustrated with a photo of the two with a backdrop of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, which was blown up during the Stalin years and later completely rebuilt. The Cassie duo spent four days in Moscow and the same in St. Petersburg.

Marilyn and Gordy Wilmot reunited with the Brancarts—Claude and Lesley. The latter couple live in Brunswick, Maine, and the Wilmots in Warwick, R.I., so the difference was split with a house rental in Hampton, N.H. Claude has medical issues including dementia, which did not detract from an enjoyable time for all, but Claude did not recall his Wes years very much—although he did remember yours truly when we roomed together in Clark Hall junior year!

He went on to MIT the following year under the “three and two” program and I recall visiting him in Boston in a nifty apartment that he had at the time.

And while on the subject of roomies, here’s a note from my freshman year roommate in North College, Bob Anderson. From Washington State, where Bob spent many of his years as a minister in UCC churches, he writes that he lives in a house he helped design and build on Guemes Island which is halfway between Seattle and Vancouver, which he (and many other people to be sure) never tire of visiting. Keeping him busy are landscaping and art. He lost his wife of 31 years just a little more than a year ago. He too attached a photo along with his note. Replete with beard, and longish hair, looking quite in style.

Two classmates with strong family continuance with Wes are Bob Gorin and Ed Mehlman. Ed’s son, Jeff ’84, and his wife, Lynne ’84, are both alumni. Jeff did coaching on the first women’s rugby team, which is where he met Lynne who played on said club. Ed has several grandchildren ranging in age from 19 to 25. This past summer he vacationed in the Canadian Rockies. He checks in with Ed Stein ’60, Al Jay, and Dick Cassie.

Bob Gorin’s grandson, David Gottlieb ’22 is residing in a dorm named for President Vic Butterfield which, Bob informs, sits on a site once occupied by Bob’s Gamma Psi house. Bob visited during Family Weekend.

News from Allen Jay: Rehab following a third hip surgery and he was not dissuaded beforehand to take a 10-day expedition cruise to Antarctica and some close associations with such as penguins, seals, and a boat-rocking humpback whale. Al sent a photo wherein he appears heavily bundled up.

Jack Braitmayer wrote, “Didn’t do much cruising this summer; our son used our new Hunt 33 more than we did. It all relates to his position and what we get out of it—he is now CEO of his company and the boat is loaded with his products. Spent the past summer and winter in Marion, Mass. Used to go to Florida for three months, but the marina closed and we decided to stay north after it closed—we spent 10 years there; and that was enough.”

The Parkins—John and Penny—live in their (originally) vacation home in northwest Michigan, where the summer population is about eight times the year-rounders. The County is a poor one, and John and some other residents organized a task force to address a wide range of economic issues, e.g. job creation. They have been able to raise state and local funding for projects, including skills training. Further, John convenes with fellow Alpha Delt brothers in NYC during the holiday season.

Mike Stein reports that he has chronic kidney failure and must have dialysis treatments three times a week. He sends his regards to his classmates.

I realize I’m stating the obvious in bringing attention to our inexorable movement to the front of the class notes section, especially now with the conclusion of the Class of ’38 notes. Hope that we read Grace Bennett’s piece in the summer magazine—a tribute to the class and a heartfelt l’envoi. Well done, Ms. Bennett.

Art Typermass | joanarth64@gmail.com
144 East Ave., #302B, Norwalk, CT 06851 | 203/504-8942

We’ve just received the sad news that Glenn Boynton died quietly at Porter Hospital in Middlebury, Vt., on May 28. He was 83.

Last June Marge and Gary Miller attended their younger granddaughter’s graduation from the Art University of Bournemouth, U.K., where she majored in costume design. She was also a finalist in an all-U.K. student competition. She is a costuming apprentice at Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theater and appears to be poised for a fascinating career.

Writing in September, Gary said he was “biting my nails, watching hurricane Florence bear down on Wilmington, N.C., where we have our winter home. We’re warm, dry, and comfy here in Maine, and I’d hate to have to dump things in the car and haul it down to North Carolina to pick up the pieces! Time will tell. Oh, and Sept. 15 is our 62nd anniversary, and we’ve planned a great lobster dinner to celebrate. Another reason to hope for a high-pressure ridge to save us.”

Julius Kaplan: “The big news is that my book, Secrets and Suspense, came out several months ago. Google it and share with me my delight in the great reviews it has been getting. It is essentially a memoir of my career as an international lawyer, presented in the form of stories arising out of matters I worked on as a lawyer, but presented for the lawyer and non-lawyer.

“I enjoyed writing the book so much that I am now in the process of writing another one! This one deals exclusively with the world of art and my participation in it over the past 50 years.”

Bob Bretscher writes: “My piloting days are over. I’m selling my Cherokee Dakota, tail #N86FE. Every flight was a joy. My next project is an effort to write my memoirs up to when I retired 1996. After the first year as a widower I appreciate my family and friends more than I could have ever imagined.”

Walt Ebmeyer reports: “I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease a year ago, thus again joining my old pal Muhammad Ali. Class of ’56 athletic types will remember my similarities to ‘The Greatest.’ Anyway, I’m too old to worry about it and kind of enjoy my children and grandchildren waiting on me.”

And Tom Plimpton: “My last e-mail to you stated that I would report on my trip to the state of Washington in September. Well, my health, which has been very good, took a turn for the worse. I wound up in the hospital in late July for five days. My health has since been precarious, and I did not go on vacation and have no news for you. Now I’m taking life one day at a time. Keep up the good work. Peace and joy!” Get well, Tom.

Writes Larry Fung: “Nothing much to report except I am getting older.” Larry: I’m not sure that qualifies as news!

Jack Shuman sent this tribute to his Wesleyan roommate, Ron Benson, who died on March 29. Ron, remember, was cocaptain of the ’55 football team that won the Little-Three Championship. Jack wanted us to know some things about Ron that he left out of his communique in the last issue.

“After school and the Navy, Ron worked in advertising, but in midlife he tired of big company life and formed his own consulting company. He also took up his favorite cause, helping business persons to further Christian morals and ethics in the business world.

“When his wife Polly was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Ron dedicated his life to her, refusing over 10 years to have her institutionalized even in her last ugly days. But as a result of this he joined a support group at his church, where he met his second wife-to-be Shirley, who had just gone through the same process with her spouse. They hit it off and eventually enjoyed a winter romance that culminated in their marriage last September. But that also was the culmination of Ron’s other life problem.

“In his early 40s Ron was on his daily jog when he suddenly collapsed. Luckily, he was almost at the feet of a well-trained emergency technician who recognized that his heart had stopped and immediately went into life-saving maneuvers. For the next 40-plus years Ron wore a defibrillator, which restarted his heart at least three times. But worse, Ron had another heart attack in September, just before the marriage. He insisted on going through with it. He and Shirley tried greatly to rehab his heart during the next six months, but he succumbed in March.

“Ron leaves behind his wife, Shirley, two daughters, Beth and Sarah, and a stepson, Stephen. He was my lifelong friend and I’ll miss him!”

And so will we.

George Chien | gchien@optonline.net

Once again, it is with sadness that I report the passing of several of our classmates. On May 14, Ed Rowe died suddenly in Overland, Kans. After his graduation, Ed went on to the University of Michigan and then taught biology for 30 years at Emporia State University. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Lenore, and his three children. In accordance with his wishes, Ed’s body was donated for scientific research.

Bill Gordon passed away on July 9. A gifted athlete, he worked briefly for General Electric before being drafted into the Army and serving in post-war Korea. He joined Traveler’s Insurance in 1958 and after obtaining an MBA from the University of Connecticut in 1970, moved on to Colonial Insurance, before joining and leading Eastern Management Services, a personal consulting firm. Bill was an active community member, serving on numerous church committees and library and town boards and he was past-president of the Cheshire Rotary Club and First Congregational Church on the Green. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Sue, of almost 60 years and his son, David, as well as members of his large and extended family. A devoted Wesleyan alumnus and member of Eclectic, Bill’s Wesleyan family included his father, cousins, father-in-law, and brothers-in-law. He may have been the perfect definition of “legacy.”

Wesleyan received word of the death of Elliott DeGraff, who died a year ago on Oct. 24, 2017. Elliott was a member of the Class of ’55, but earned his degree from New York University in Aeronautical Engineering. He made his first flight as a pilot in 1953 and went on to become a flight instructor. Elliott was a volunteer pilot for an animal rescue organization, Pilots N Paws , and was credited with flying 700 dogs to safety. He was happy to be a member of the Flying Octogenarians!

With sincere thanks, I’m delighted with the responses from two of my former Sigma Chi brothers. John Sheaff and wife Lois report they continue to function on “a reasonable level” in upstate New York on the Vermont border. They are fortunate to live in an area of natural beauty with access to all the mental stimulation one could desire. And truthfully, he states, “Of course at our age, no leaping over tall buildings!” Bill Shepard sent regards and best wishes while mentioning he doesn’t have “news” this time around! Always a treat to hear from you guys!

Tony Arena is enjoying life in paradise here in Florida and continues to golf with his wife. Tony, where are you residing? Perhaps, we can arrange a get-together sometime in the near future. Drop a line this way when you get a chance.

Since 1982, Andy Holmes has been working full-time running his travel agency Worldwide Cruise Headquarters on Southport Island (Boothbay Harbor) in Maine. He complains that “One of the damnable parts about selling cruises is that we have to go on them . . . thus I am not ashamed to say that we are on nine of them between now and May. Maine winters are extremely bearable when you can be away in the Caribbean on a cruise ship.” Andy, on behalf of all of us, do accept our appreciation of your trials and tribulations!

Drew Clemens and wife Julia have moved to a retirement community near their son in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. He is still writing and teaching about psychoanalysis and psychotherapy in psychiatry. He still plays tennis and his family enjoys their cottage on Lake Chautauqua.

Lots of heat and rain have marked the past several months here in Delray Beach. As with many other parts of the country, Delray Beach has been experiencing record temperatures and the heat index climbs above 100 as the sun rises. It certainly has an effect on my cycling as my riding companions agreed that reducing speeds and distances are a must, especially at our ages. To date (Sept. 21) I’ve recorded 2,661 miles, which is nearly 800 miles less than last year at this time. Still glad that my doctors tell me to continue doing what I enjoy with only one reservation; keep my heart rate below 140 bpm for the most part! If all goes well, I will participate in a fundraising ride of some 50-75 miles for muscular dystrophy. I’ve never done a fundraising ride before, but in honor of two companions who have family members stricken with this disease, I’ve signed on to ride. Marianne continues to encourage my riding. We recently celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in July and she has been a wonderful companion!

As always, to you and your loved ones, sincere best wishes for good health and happiness in the year ahead. And, should you find a spare moment, I’d really love to hear from you.

DONALD J. BRAVERMAN | ybikedon@bellsouth.net
14790 Bonaire Blvd., Apt. 102., Delray Beach, FL 33446

Gentlemen of ’54: Thanks for prompt responses from eight stalwarts as we approach our 65th next year . . . Here’s what you told me: John Binswanger is doing OK, plus a lot of traveling—recently to Australia, the Bahamas, and Aspen. John’s company has been reorganized with a minority interest going to the sales staff. John’s been retired for nine years, but still goes into the office four days a week.

Bud Johnson and Lynn have three grandkids out of college, four still in, and one being teed up. Bud’s Navy pilot memoirs (unclassified version) were published in June. Their “reward” was a Baltic cruise to seven countries, then London.

Rod O’Connor writes that at 85 he’s finally stopped actively working and has given up his longstanding passion for golf—so as to be able to spend more time at their house in Aiken, S.C. Rod’s two daughters and four grandchildren are planning a major Thanksgiving fiesta there with 20 relatives from around the country.

Chuck Davis proudly reports that his granddaughter, Caroline, was a member of the U.S. Women’s World Junior Ultimate Frisbee Team that was undefeated in the championship games played in Waterloo, Ontario, in August. Caroline attends Dartmouth.

Ken Davenny has recently been through the flu, two types of pneumonia, and heart failure! His heart has been repaired, and Ken is now undergoing a lengthy rehab process, and, he writes, “I seem to be recovering well.” Go, Ken!

Jeff Lockhart’s two youngest granddaughters are at college in the Carolinas—one at Chapel Hill, the other at the College of Charleston. Both had mini vacations during Hurricane Florence.

Jules Schwaber and Evelyne, at this writing, are staying in Israel, in an apartment near two of their married sons and eight of their 10 grandchildren. Jules, who has been retired from medical practice since 2012, sends his best wishes to all his former classmates and their loved ones.

Lenny Stolba is still wandering around his refuge: 1.6 acres with seven structures, two horses, one pony, one dog, and a box turtle. His kids, grandkids, and one great-grandchild are all healthy. Len send cheers to all “WESU remainers.”

Finally, very sorry to report the passing of Bob Schnuer this summer.

Your scribe, Bob Carey, has been busy in Greenwich with volunteer work, which includes driving for Call-A-Ride as well as Meals-on-Wheels, and manning the phones at Community Answers. That’s it, guys. The 65th is practically upon us. Get ready!

Best to all,

BOB CAREY | popscarey@gmail.com
618 W. Lyon Farm Dr., Greenwich, CT 06831 | 203/532-1745

Response to our 65th Reunion continues. Sidney Alexander is disappointed to have missed, because he was not informed by mail. Unfortunately, I do not believe mail notices were sent: all was online, thereby missing some. Sid, a cardiologist, sees patients at the Lahey Clinic, teaches, and finds time for a little clinical research.

Clapham “Cope” Murray continues his acting career playing a senile old man in a wheelchair during the summer season. Cope lives with his son, his wife having passed away a few years ago.

In addition to spending time with his children, Eileen ’79 and Mike ’81, Jerry Patrick serves on two nonprofit boards and corresponds with Jim Waters ’52, who lives in Florida. Jerry planned to visit Cope in September followed by skippering bareboat a 44-foot sloop off the Maine coast. He is building an elaborate model of a 5th century B.C. Greek trireme used in the Persian War and he is also writing short stories.

George Anderson called, seeking a contact for Warren Eastman, our past class agent (which I do not have since he moved to Connecticut). George and his wife, Rue, of seven years, live in Savannah, Ga., as does Homer Eckerson, who sent me a message from Japan in August, where he was on a family vacation. After an aorta aneurysm four years ago, George has recovered sufficiently to shoot his age on the golf course—86. He finds water aerobics preferable to the gym.

Rev. Edward White checked in from D.C., stating he was fine, with a wife, five children, and 12 grandchildren—all doing well.

James Dutcher Griffis, a native of Troy, N.Y., a DKE, passed away July 6, 2018, in The Woodlands, Texas, where he had been living since his mobility decreased. He is survived by his son, four grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and a sister.

Erik Sprague Taylor, born in Tientsin, China, a math major, and a Sigma Nu, died Nov. 27, 2017, in Denver, Colo. A long-term employee of the Colorado National Bank of Denver, he served as trust officer and head of the trust department. Active in the community he enjoyed hiking, backpacking, skiing, and especially his cabin in South Park. He is survived by his wife, Frances, three children, four grandchildren, a sister, and a brother.

Condolences to the families of Jim and Erik.

JOHN W. MILLER | Jwalmiller@aol.com
306 Autumn Court, Bartlesville, OK 74006 | 918/335-0081 

I had the pleasure of attending the 2018 Reunion weekend on June 26 with my wife, Barbara, hoping to enjoy an out-of-sync reunion with several of our classmates who indicated such a desire but they were no-shows so we had a pleasant time chatting with several representatives of the university at the post 50th Reunion lunch.

As is becoming usual, I have more sad news to report. Two of our classmates, Rev. Dr. Kenneth Warwick Taylor and William Ashley Morrill, died. Dwight Herrmann (my first roommate at Harriman Hall in 1949) wrote that Leslye, his wife of 56 years, passed away on May 30, leaving four daughters who were on watch with him. Leslye and Dwight attended our 65th Reunion in June 2017 and we extend our sincere condolences to Dwight and his family and the families of Ken and Bill.

Ken, 88, a leader in advancing LGBTQ rights within the United Church of Christ in Connecticut and nationally, passed away peacefully at Seabury hospice on Aug. 11, survived by Jo Anne, his wife of 66 years, along with his daughter, Janet, his sons David, Mark, Gregory, and Andrew and their families, including 11 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, who were the joys of his life. Ken was born in 1929 at Women’s Lying-in Hospital in NYC, although he preferred to say he was born at Yankee Stadium. He married Jo Anne at the Wesleyan Chapel the day after graduation. He received a master of divinity degree from Virginia Seminary in 1957 followed by a doctorate of ministry, conferred by Hartford Seminary in 1978.

Bill, 88, died on July 25, at his home in Pennswood Village, Newtown, Pa., survived by his wife, Nancy Porter, and four daughters; Margaret, Carolyn, Elizabeth, and Janet, their spouses, seven grandchildren, and two great- grandchildren. After graduating from Wesleyan, Bill got his master’s in public administration in 1953 from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University. He began his over 60-year career in public service in 1953, holding many influential positions. Bill was a true Renaissance man: wine enthusiast, accomplished cook, self-taught guitar player, author of illustrated travel journals, aspiring tennis player, impressive poet, singer of all Methodist hymns by number, and consummate workaholic.

More sad but uplifting news from Duncan Nelson, who included the following poem:

On hospice now, but no matter

Amidst whatever idle chatter

I might manage to have with you

I’m proud to be Class of ’52-

ln ‘48 a Harriman Haller:

If I had a dollar for each stair

I climbed I’d be a trillionaire,

Which I already am, having cast my lot

In with guys who helped me hit the jackpot

Of eight children and then the God’s plenty

Of grandchildren now numbering twenty

Upon whom the bard places reliance

On the ways they are using hard science

To bring about—and do so pro tem—

The much needed New Jerusalem!

Frank LaBella reported that he and Arlyne, both Middletowners, married on July 26, 1952, starting off at Vets Village during his MA studies at Wesleyan, and then Mudville (more barracks) at Emory in Atlanta, where he got his PhD. After various residences in Winnipeg, including a horse farm for 25 years, they are now in a senior residence. All his children—Jennifer, Michael, and Lisa, and granddaughter, Chloe—live in Winnipeg, which makes life very enjoyable. He is a professor emeritus at Manitoba University, still doing research and publishing.

Barbara and I spent an enjoyable two weeks in London, Paris, and cruising the Mediterranean, although (as a still practicing real estate attorney) she spent a lot of time working on two complicated transactions, despite the time change and difficult e-mail and phone connections.

My best wishes to all of you, and send me some news for the next edition!

Joseph N. Friedman  | jfriedman@regalnyc.com
400 East 56th Street, Apt. 28LM, New York, NY 10022 | 917/715-8881

Frank McCathran is living in a small subdivision in Germantown, Md., and he writes that one of his neighbors was originally from Uzbekistan.

Herb Lessow is doing well in retirement living in New York City.

Charlie Selig is enjoying a “wonderful lifestyle in Boca Raton, Fla. Truly one of the most beautiful spots in the country.”

Frank Hassell moved to his retirement home in Sarasota, Fla. He has become unable to travel, but his children and their families come to visit. At Wesleyan, he and his wife, Marjorie, and two sons had lived off-campus, sponsored by family and the G.I. Bill.

I have to report the death of Bill Steele in St. Louis. Until his final illness, he’d been very active, enjoying hiking, biking, and playing ping pong. He enjoyed kayaking, too. He never lost his sense of humor and ready smile. Following a memorial service, his ashes were scattered in the river he used to kayak.

David McMillan passed away late this spring, four days after the death of his wife, Margaret. He’d had a long and influential career in Delaware banking, serving as president and chief operating officer at the Bank of Delaware before his retirement. He was also the president of the YMCA of Delaware and held several high offices in the Episcopal church.

DAVID M. PHILIPS | davephilips69@hotmail.com
43 Cannon Street, Cranston, RI 02920-7620

Cliff Milner wrote, “Just reached 90 and am continually grateful for my good fortune with my good health. This despite my frequent visits to a wide variety of doctors! Keeping busy with many different things has been my secret. This is the third year I have taken a two-week cruise to somewhere. First, I did the Viking Cruise of the Danube and Rhine. Last year it was Norway and this June I hit my 50th state by cruising to Alaska. Back here at home, I am a volunteer at WXXI, our local PBS station helping at special events like last week’s open house or answering phones during fund drives. I get out to as many concerts (free ones!) as possible. I have a good friend with whom I share driving chores. That does remind me that my latest health annoyance is neuropathy, in which the feet become numb, which, in turn, makes me pay special attention to my driving!

“My wife, Lynn, passed away four years ago but I have my youngest son (56) living with me. As my daughter says, You can look after him and he can look after you! Good luck to all and stay out of those listings in the back pages of the alumni magazine.”

The Rev. Allen W. Scott died Aug. 20, 2018. After Wesleyan and Yale Divinity School he pastored his hometown church in East Lyme, Conn., and was a leader in the community. He is survived by his daughter, Margaret Watson, and sons MacKenzie, Alan, and Jonathan.

BUD DORSEY | margiedorsey5@gmail.com
121 Renegar Way #105, St. Simons Island, GA, 31522 | 912/638-5616

As far back as my memory takes me, I’ve wanted to be a poem. Barely a toddler, I was a blipping “Bad Sir Brian” for several tickly stanzas, and as a sturdy young couplet I knocked things off our mantelpiece. I grew apace to where, as a single quatrain, I met grave Alice and laughing Allegra, each saccharine enough to gag a goat, so I punched their lights out. By high school I was pretty much a ballad In the Yukon, but I sobered up enough to become a sonnet; alas, I couldn’t abide the heart-scalding decisions of abab, abba, 8-6, three 4s-plus-2 living, and so retreated to the sanctuary of becoming an elegy. That funereal life so fretted my natural inclinations that I burst from my cell with a limerickal yell to seek the company of a young man from Boston, another from Sparta, and their friend Titian, who seemed fixed on mixing rosematta. Briefly, then, I dallied in passionate uncertainty with Emily until she set me straight and sent me off to Wesleyan, where Frost and Snow gave me every day conversational skill and a permanent sense of the necessity ever to demonstrate good form.

War took me for nearly four years with the 10th Mountain Division, but I never found time to be any sort of poem except as a raggedy 90-pounds-of-rucksack chanty and a bit of R and R with Shapiro. Once back at Wesleyan, then grad school at Northwestern, and finally at the Royal Irish Academy I found my identity in the old world of the Celts: I turned out to be an epic. History of a people; pride in ancestry; desire to live in history; exhortations to followers; sustained majestic verse—all churning in me when I sang Achilles and Aeneas, when El Cid and Roland stood fast, when Cú Chullainn singlehandedly took on Maeve’s gang of cattle rustlers. I really came into my own when Neihardt needed me to go up the Missouri with friends Carpenter, Talbeau, and Fink, to crawl desperately with Hugh Glass, to voice Jed Smith’s wilderness gospel, and to mourn the murder of Crazy Horse and the tragic end of the Indian wars of protest. Yes, in this cultural dust storm we’re living in today, that’s what I am: an epic poem in a society that has no heroic’s mood.

Slán go fóill.

FRANCIS W. LOVETT | lovettfrancis@gmail.com

315 14th Street, Unit A, Windsor, CO 80550 | 907/460-9338