GRANDPA
Published on the World Wide Web, May 1999and other poems (1962 -- 1970)
by BEN H. SWETT
Colonel USAF (Retired)Permission to download this collection is hereby granted,
and permission to copy individual poems is also granted,
provided the by-line is included or added to each poem.
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CONTENTSGrandpa [Jan 1962]
An Aircrew Is Down In Alaska [Jan 1962]
Railroad Crossing Sign [Jan 1962]
O'Riley [Jan 1962]
Helicopter Pilot [Jan 1962]
The Seer [Jan 1962]
Cancer [Jan 1962]
Agnostic [Jan 1962]
Trust [Jan 1962]
Paramedic [Feb 1962]
Secret Weapon? Feb 1962]
The Gambler's Moral [Feb 1962]
To A Beatnik [Apr 1962]
Priorities [May 1962]
Dream [Jun 1962]
Caste [Aug 1962]
La Corrida (The Bullfight) [Sep 1962]
Red Capes [Sep 1962]
The Sexes [ Sep 1962]
The Kindest Gift [Sep 1962]
Logic? [Oct 1962]
Something Of Value [Oct 1962]
A Scale For Wishes [Oct 1962]
To The Pacifist Sitting On My Runway [Nov 1962]
Balthazar [Dec 1962]
Jones [Jan 1963]
The Mystic [Jan 1963]
Yeah, Lady ... [Jan 1963]
Relief ? [Jan 1963]
The Proof Of Spring [Mar 1963]
Obituary For The Habitual Bitcher [May 1963]
A Fitting Gift [May 1963]
Tempted [May 1963]
One Mile [Jun 1963]
Radio Operator [Jun 1963]
Double Entry [Aug 1963]
Command Pilot: Doctor Of Defense [Aug 1963]
Swap [Aug 1963]
To A Pink Christian [Aug 1963]
Vision [Aug 1963]
The Bombardier To The Priest [Aug 1963]
Prophecy [Sep 1963]
Passe' [Sep 1963]
Long Distance [Sep 1963]
Convalescence [Sep 1963]
The Revised Billy Goats Gruff [Sep 1963]
The Enlightened ? [Oct 1963]
A Rock Wall, Crumbling In The Forest [Oct 1963]
Penny-Ante [Oct 1963]
The Sofa [Jan 1964]
Teetotalers [Jan 1964]
To A Boastful Young Man [Jan 1964]
The Sign [Jun 1964]
Prerequisite [Jun 1964]
Divorce [Jun 1964]
Credo [Jun 1964]
The Parents' Psalm [Jun 1964]
Caterpillars [Jun 1964]
A Toast To Robin Jones [Jul 1964]
Conformity [Aug 1964]
Christopher Columbus [Oct 1964]
Trinity [Oct 1964]
At A Funeral [Nov 1964]
A Matter Of Choice [Nov 1964]
For Wyneth (VI) [Jun 1965]
Weeds [Jul 1965]
Why Justice Is Blind [Nov 1966]
Peace [May 1967]
Ridicule [May 1967]
Witch-Angel [Oct 1967]
Three Prophets [Feb 1968]
Yankee [Jul 1968]
American Sigh [Mar 1969]
Ouch ! [Feb 1970]
Joe Grunt [May 1970]
A Thumbnail Sketch of the Author [May 1970]
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GRANDPAOur Grandpa was a SAC-man
for forty-some-odd-years;
he drove the ancient bombers
with profanity and tears.Now Grandpa lives at our house
in lizard green and boots;
it seems he can't remember
how to wear civilian suits.All day he reads his checklist.
He's quite a harmless sort:
it's only now and then he yells,
"Abort! Abort! Abort!"But he's still patriotic.
We have a horn to show it,
and you should see Gramps hit the road
every time we blow it!
Pease AFB "Viking"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN AIRCREW IS DOWN IN ALASKAThree men crouched over a sputtering fire,
their backs to the flesh-eating wind ...
Frost on their shoulders,
ice on their boots,
their bodies and minds growing numb ...
One prayer on their lips,
one faith in their hearts:
that somehow, their kindred will come ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNYou stand for the skull and crossbones,
and death that leaps from the night ...
Whenever I happen to meet you,
I shudder within at the sight ...For Bill and our laughing companions
saw you, I'm sure, and yet ...
what they will never remember,
I can never forget ...
Marion Plunkett Award, Arkansas Poetry Fair
Arkansas Anthology
Pease AFB "Viking"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
O'RILEYO'Riley, he's hit by a Buick,
And buggered-up Riley be;
With thoughts o' the tomb,
I goes to his room,
A'fearin' what maybe I'll see ...O'Riley, he's pretty well busted;
'Tis plain he is not in good shape,
For, worst is, the mutt
Has gone off his nut;
He's a'laughin' behind all the tape!"O'Riley," I says, "Me poor bucko,
Don't cackle and giggle like that;
Just quietly smile
And go out in style ..."
And I covers me heart with me hat.O'Riley, he gasps and he wheezes,
"I darn sure ain't dyin' today!
O'Riley can't end
With money to spend:
Twelve thousand th' insurance'll pay!"O'Riley's been workin' forever,
Too broke to buy a cigar;
An' ain't it a switch?
I've made meself rich,
By fallin' in front of a car!"
Constance Rouse Award, Arkansas Poetry Fair
Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, NH
Arkansas Anthology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HELICOPTER PILOTWhy do you call me a hero?
Those guys were burning down there!
I had to get close in to cool them
With only a down-wash of air ...And sure, I kept coming back
When the explosions blew me away;
What do you think I get paid for?
I'd do it again any day.The crew all got out, and it's over.
Who cares if the bomber blew up?
But I wish you'd not call me a hero
When my coffee won't stay in its cup ...
Fort Smith Poetry Club Award, Arkansas Poetry Fair
Pease AFB "Viking"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE SEERThere was once a seer
who knew all
that would come to pass ...
and he tore out
his tongue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CANCERHis lips were taut and white with pain ...
"Ah, no," Rob said, "I can't complain.
Life was a lovely party, lad,
so I'll not begrudge the taxi fare
that takes me home again ..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AGNOSTICThe agnostic is he
who stands halfway between
those who believe
what they cannot prove,
and those who prove
what they cannot believe ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TRUST"A little left," the fireman said,
"A little left, now ... steady ..."
to keep the blind boy's trembling feet
upon the plank above the street,
from burning roof to safety ..."A little left," the controller said,
"A little left, now ... steady ..."
his voice, my eyes, as through the rain
and blinding fog I slide my plane
toward unseen runway safety ..."A little right, now ... steady ..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PARAMEDICWe spotted the crash from the 'copter,
half hid in a juniper clump.
With too many trees
and a hell of a breeze,
O'Malley decided to jump.He pried the guy out of the cockpit
and splinted up two broken legs,
then swung him down slope
with pitons and rope,
as gently as though he were eggs.We hoisted them out of a clearing,
a mile or two down the valley,
and thought it routine
until we had seen
that one splint was worn by O'Malley.
Pease AFB "Viking"
"Command" Magazine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SECRET WEAPON ?Oh, say now, I ask you,
wouldn't it be nice
if Cuba were infested
with beard-loving
lice?Oh, statesmen, wise statesmen,
we beg on our knees:
let's slip them a planeload
of ravenous
fleas.
Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, NH
Fort Lauderdale, FL "News"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE GAMBLER'S MORALI'm not a puritanic fool,
I glorify no gods;
But I know well, BEFORE the game
Is the time to count the odds ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TO A BEATNIKYou hold that no one has the right
To say what you must do ...
And are, no doubt, surprised to hear
That many share your view.Because rebellion is your creed
You feel a pioneer ...
Though almost all agree with you
Around their second year.
North Little Rock, AR "Times"
Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, NH
Fort Lauderdale, FL "News"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PRIORITIESThe prophet prepared for a journey
and, being poor,
was forced to walk,
carrying his possessions with him.He packed his bag with books
and letters,
quills,
paper and ink.His friends chided him, saying,
"You would be wiser
to carry food and medicine,
money and clothes.""If I were riding a donkey,"
he answered,
"You would think me foolish
to load him with grass,
neglecting my own possessions;
for, lo, what he needs is everywhere."The prophet paused
and smiled.In a way, he said,
I am riding a donkey ...
a two-legged donkey.And so saying,
he shouldered his load
and departed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DREAMI dreamed I passed
down a swirling firepool
of fever,
through the blue eye of peace beyond ...and found myself standing,
looking down
into a waxen face
recalled from countless mirrors ...When they lit the candles
I was there,
seeing, but not seen;
calling, but not heard ...And when they buried
that which I thought I was,
that which I am
watched with the others ...Then, in helpless horror,
I watched
as all I had cherished
eroded away ...Those I loved
sought other loves.
Those I hated,
unpunished went their ways ...Those I called friends
fought for my treasure,
while strangers made harvest
of the fruit of my dreams ...My possessions,
divided ...
My name
forgotten ...While my passkey to life,
my garment of senses,
lay feeding small hungers
in earth ..."Why?"
I cried,
"What sin
bred this torment?What error,
what blindness,
left me thus
unprepared for my fate?All I desire
demands I wear flesh;
The former is ruined.
Another must do ...But occupied flesh
I could not invade,
and the freshly vacated
was beyond habitation ...At conception alone,
the doorway to life
I found for an instant
ajar ...And I plunged into promise,
amazed, as I dove,
to dream
I awoke from my dream ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CASTENot reckoned by nation,
by color,
or creed ...Not measured by station,
opinion,
or deed ...Known only to God.
Yet may we not guess
at the size of a soul,
by observing what treasure
he sets for his goal?Sensations are sought
by the graduate ape ...The journeyman soul
loves material things ...But he who seeks only
for spiritual truth,
the angel apprentice,
lacks only
his wings ...
South and West Award, Arkansas Poetry Fair
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LA CORRIDA (THE BULLFIGHT)
-- just prior to the moment of truth --I have won ...
I am tired
and bleeding ...but my enemy lies dead
at my feet ...and his tall companion
stands quiet ...
harmless ...I am tired ...
I will go somewhere
and lie down ...But I have won ...
I have killed
the strange, bright,
fluttering thing ...the cows will be proud ...
Cordury Patch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RED CAPESMighty, the bull ...
awesome, his power,
as he hurls his strength
into dancing Red capes ...Dancing Red capes ...
like the dancing Red flames
of brush-fire wars ...Dancing Red capes ...
like the dancing Red truths
of the conference tables ...Dancing Red capes ...
ever leading the eye
from the actual foe,
and the hidden steel ...Only dancing Red capes ...
But the moment of truth
comes too late
for the bull ...
South & West Award, Arkansas Poetry Fair
Arkansas Anthology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE SEXESIn arctic anger,
man and maid
inquired of the sage,
which sex he held superior,
and what he used as gauge ...He smiled and said,
I cannot tell,
for what I measure lies
somewhere between the person's ears,
and not between the thighs ...
Corduroy Patch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE KINDEST GIFTOftentimes
the kindest gift
is to allow your friend
the blessing
of giving.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LOGIC?Most of our woes
come from one simple act:
we start with opinion,
and rationalize
fact ...
North Little Rock, AR "Times"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOMETHING OF VALUEA long line of souls stood waiting
before the gates of heaven.The angel in charge of admissions
asked each of them a question,
and the question was always the same:WHAT HAVE YOU MADE THIS DAY?
A cobbler said,
Six pairs of shoes, sir.WERE THEY GOOD SHOES?
Strong shoes, sir.
IT IS WELL.
PASS ON.A poet said,
I made a song, sir.WAS IT A GOOD SONG?
The best I had words to sing.
IT IS WELL.
PASS ON.A carpenter said,
I finished a cabinet, sir.WAS IT A GOOD CABINET?
Yes, sir, it was.
IT IS WELL.
PASS ON.A broker said,
I made ten thousand dollars, sir.HOW SO?
I bought and sold.
OH. YOU BOUGHT AND SOLD ...
BUT WHAT DID YOU MAKE?I made a profit.
YOU TOOK PROFIT FROM THE WORK OF OTHERS,
ADDING NOTHING YOURSELF?Well ... yes ... but that's not my fault.
NONE OTHER'S FAULT.
PLEASE STAND ASIDE.Wait ... wait ...
I made a boat, once ...TODAY?
No ... that was long ago.
SORRY.
WE ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO USE
THE LAST DAY YOU HAVE TO OFFER.
PLEASE STAND ASIDE.The next was a child. He said,
I made a mud pie today ...The angel smiled;
WAS IT A GOOD MUD PIE?I thought so, but I wasn't sure
until my daddy told me
it was the best mud pie in the whole world!The angel tipped his head toward the broker;
ISN'T THAT YOUR FATHER,
STANDING OVER THERE?Yes,
we came together,
when our car went off the road.The angel called to the broker,
and changed a line in the book:PASS ON,
said the angel,
I FIND
YOU HAVE INDEED
MADE SOMETHING OF VALUE TODAY.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A SCALE FOR WISHESWhat would I do
if no one knew?
What do I wish for the most?
And if I pursue it,
what worth will it be
in a few years
when I am
a ghost?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TO THE PACIFIST SITTING ON MY RUNWAYCan't you martyr yourself
within your ideals
by flipping yourself
with ecstatic squeals
under some OTHER
Juggernaut's wheels?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BALTHAZARWhen good king Balthazar lay dead,
five years, they mourning kept ...He watched from solemn infant eyes
and wondered why they wept ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JONESThe sad-faced gentleman was old,
as lonely as the day was cold,
and weary of his life.
He sat, as always, in the park,
his eyes far distant, clouded, dark,
still mourning for his wife.Bright-eyed Barbara, four years wise,
sensed the heartbreak in those eyes,
as children understand.
She came and stood a moment, near;
then, not yet having learned to fear,
reached up and took his hand.He slowly turned and saw her there,
then gently, gently, stroked her hair,
while from his heart, he smiled.
She pressed her cheek against his palm.
Her mother's scream burst like a bomb:
"That ape has got my child!"The startled girl began to cry;
Jones turned away, heaved out a sigh,
and bowed his shaggy head.
He did not move. He would not eat.
He sat there, staring at his feet.
In four days, he was dead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE MYSTICYou ask how I know
what I know,
but I cannot explain ...
If I tell you I see
what I see,
you will think me insane ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YEAH, LADY ...So there I hang in my parachute,
six feet off the ground:
my leg is busted ...
my wrist is busted ...
my plane is busted ...
It's been a bad day all around.Then here comes this little old lady,
and I'm sorry I popped my gaskets,
but she shouldn't have asked ...
she didn't have to ask ...
why do they always ask ..."Do you really fly jets?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RELIEF ?It doesn't work.
Again,
it doesn't work ...This is the most mis-named device
in the whole darned airplane!Where'll I dump it this time?
Not under the seat ...
there are wires down there,
and they short out,
and shock you out of your socks.Sit and hold it?
Across three states?
And spill it on final approach,
like last time,
and the time before that?What'll I do with it?
Ah, well,
maybe it'll thaw out ...sometime ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE PROOF OF SPRINGIt isn't "the flowers what bloom in the spring,"
and all of that lyrical lot.
It isn't "sweet lambs that gambol and play,"
not to the housewife,
it's not ...It isn't the robin, nor bursting cocoons,
nor butterflies flitting about.
Compared to the housewife's heralds of spring,
all others are subject
to doubt ...It's snowy-wet tracks on the entry-way floor,
that, one evening, turn into mud.
It's the urge to move all the furniture
that charges around in
her blood ...It's sudden eruptions of marbles and tops,
baseballs and jump-ropes galore.
It's snow shoes, skis, and toboggans
that she finds barricading
the door ...It's when she calls out to her husband
that window-screens need to be hung,
and he heads for the car with his golf clubs,
that spring, beyond question,
has sprung ...
"Pease and Cues" Pease AFB, NH
"Powderpuff" Lockbourne AFB, OH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OBITUARY
FOR THE HABITUAL
BITCHEROld John is gone ...
and it's just as well;
he never liked it here.Kain't see as how
it matters where ...
he ain't about
to like it there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A FITTING GIFTOh, Lord, I see
this little creature
I call me
is not a fitting gift
for Thee ...I only pray
I might assist
upon their way
fairer souls
for Thy
bouquet ...
Time of Singing
Arkansas Anthology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TEMPTEDWill I
later
wistfully wish
I had ... ?or heartily
wish
to hell
I hadn't ... ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ONE MILEOne pair of aching, marching feet,
tromping the cobblestones;
each time they count their thousandth beat;
twenty minutes: one mile ...-----
Six hundred sweating rowers' backs
bend to the straining oars;
a flesh-eating whip whistles and cracks;
twelve minutes: one mile ...-----
Legs full numb from the saddle-grip,
his horse-flesh laboring on;
a knight may nod, but he must not slip;
six minutes: one mile ...-----
Speedometer sits like a frozen rock,
the gentle engine purrs;
in upholstered comfort, he checks the clock;
one minute: one mile ...-----
Stretch and yawn, and close the book,
jets sing a lullaby;
a lovely view, if one cares to look;
six seconds: one mile ...-----
His capsule punctures sunrise,
curved Earth floats by above;
the weightless prisoner blinks his eyes;
one-fifth second: one mile ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RADIO OPERATORSome of you prayin' folks
don't know,
or so it seems to me,
that in order to HEAR
the other guy,
you've gotta let up on
your TRANSMIT key ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DOUBLE ENTRY'Tis a neat transaction indeed,
if the Lord will account
to our eternal credit
the "charity"
we subtract from our taxes ...
Arkansas Anthology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMMAND PILOT: DOCTOR OF DEFENSEFresh from the high-schools of the thirties,
he majored in courage
over Frankfort, Cologne, Ploesti and Tokyo,
then etched a Master's thesis in contrails
along the Yalu,
and polished his dedication
through a decade
of continual crisis.His degree is honorary,
but well earned
by a quarter century
of his countrymen's freedom ...
Pease AFB "Viking"
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SWAPWhen we abandoned the porch swing,
the hammock,
and the rocking chair,
we substituted the tranquilizer,
the ulcer,
and the psychiatrist ...
Arkansas Anthology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TO A PINK CHRISTIANHow do you serve God
by assisting those
who would raise your children
and your children's children
as atheists?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VISION'Tis truly said:
anyone who would see
the beauty of life
must first
wash his windows ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE BOMBARDIER TO THE PRIESTWe know we have no solution
in this balance of terror
and thermonuclear stores ...
My profession is merely
purchasing time,
Father,
for yours ...
Pease AFB "Viking"
Arkansas Anthology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PROPHECYThe gift of prophecy
is rather like playing solitaire
with transparent cards:
it hardly changes the outcome,
and rather spoils the game ...
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PASSE'The battlefields of long ago
are overgrown with pine,
and no one knows
where lay the line,
nor which was yours,
nor which was mine ...
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LONG DISTANCEI do love hearing your voice,
old friend,
yet so terribly soon
we are forced to resort
to the exchange
of a meaningless
weather report ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONVALESCENCEFor thus compelling rest
I could not choose,
nor thought I could afford ...
For time to think
and time to pray,
I give Thee thanks, Oh Lord ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE REVISED BILLY GOATS GRUFF"It's a TROLL bridge, silly ...
If we don't put money in the box,
the troll will come out
and GET us!"Seems to me trolls
were handled differently,
in the old days ...
But I suppose we must stay in keeping
with our national policy ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE ENLIGHTENED ?Doctors who do not believe
in chiropractors
are like the one who did not believe
in dentists:
he cured toothache
by amputating the jaw ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A ROCK WALL, CRUMBLING IN THE FORESTWhat unremembered generations
stacked this granite guarantee ...
never doubting,
full assured,
that all which was
would always be ...
Corduroy Patch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PENNY-ANTEYou with the merry
and beckoning eyes,
the thrilling laughter,
and tempting smile ...
what is your game?What can be won?
And what can be lost?
A moment? An hour?
A carefree day ...
or a perfumed night?Ah, no, little bright-eyes,
I don't play
penny-ante games.
I play for no less than
a lifetime,
table stakes, up front,
with my wife.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE SOFAWait ...
withhold the blow;
his eyes are innocent,
asking, "Why?"Why such boiling anger?
His muddy shoes are at the door.
Perhaps he did not see
clay on his trouser cuff ...Can it be
that my planning to re-cover this sofa,
my painstaking selection of materials,
and yesterday's hours of labor
have over-inflated its value?Has it come to mean more to me
than justice?Is it now more important
than my son?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TEETOTALERSI'm sorry, Mac, I'd love a drink,
but our whole crew is dry,
and if you've time to hear the tale,
there's darn good reason why ...You see, we dropped some stuff at Guam,
and partied all that night.
Next day, except for Robert, there,
we still were pretty tight.We're in the bunks by level-off,
all sleeping like we're dead,
and sure enough, within an hour,
Bob has to hit the head.He trims the beast a bit nose-down
to take the shift of weight,
then trots back aft to use the tube;
no sweat, it works out great.But when he starts up front again,
he runs clean out of luck;
with not a soul behind the wheel,
the cabin door is stuck.Bob pounds and yells and cusses,
but we don't even blink.
The bird, she noses over, slow,
and starts down toward the drink.Bob gallops aft, back in the tail,
as far as he can go,
and where we level off again,
no one will ever know.He waits until we start to climb,
then back up front he comes.
He works that door with hands and feet,
like unto bongo drums.No use. The lot of us are out,
like corpses in the rack,
and down she goes, with bit in teeth,
and Bob goes charging back.Well, we don't know how long it was,
or just how far we flew,
before Bob wore the hinges out
and finally broke it through ...But like I said, I'm sorry, friend;
we don't drink any more,
'cause Bob, he swears, first guy who does
is gonna EAT that door!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TO A BOASTFUL YOUNG MANHave you stooped down
and listened close
to hear a yo-yo sing?
Well, when you do,
you'll hear him boast,
"I've got that finger
on the string!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE SIGNI prayed for a sign,
and received one...
It was octagonal,
and it read: STOP
Arkansas Anthology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PREREQUISITE'Tis truly said:
one must cultivate
his own fields
ere he offer advice
on agriculture ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DIVORCELike the lessons of history,
those who will not learn
the lessons of marriage
are apt to repeat them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CREDOA saint, I'm not, nor apt to be,
so I won't preach at you.
But this is so:
the right I know
is what I try to do.I lick no boots for any man.
Rewards I don't expect.
There's just one score
I'm working for:
an honest self-respect.
Arkansas Anthology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE PARENT'S PSALMOh, Lord of all shepherds,
you lent me these lambs,
in trust I would find them green pastures,
lead them beside thy still waters,
and replenish their souls.I would lead them
in the paths of righteousness
for thy name's sake.Yea, though we walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
they need fear no evil,
if thou art with us.I would be thy rod to protect them,
and thy shepherd staff
to draw them back from danger.I will prepare thy table before them
in the presence of our enemies.
I will anoint their heads with thy oil,
with thy love overflowing.Oh, may thy goodness and mercy
follow them all the days of their lives,
and may they dwell in THY house
forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CATERPILLARS"Someday you will be a butterfly,"
said sun-browned Seven
to his furry companion,
"See? All around us, the air
is filled with beautiful wings ..."But the caterpillar marched on
over freckled hills,
like a bristling Roman legion,
neither hearing
nor caring."Someday you will be as angels,"
said Wisdom to his friends,
"See? All around us ..."
but, like the caterpillar,
we march on ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A TOAST TO ROBIN JONESHere's to Robin Jones,
on whom be peace ...
He loved his friends
as well alive
as others love them dead.
He wrote to each
their eulogy ...
the only one they read.
Arkansas Anthology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONFORMITYConformity is a close-cropped lawn,
producing neither weeds
nor seeds ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUSPoor old Chris ...
He never did prove
the world is round,
or reach India,
or Japan.
He never got half-way.But, God rest him,
he did prove one thing:
If you hold ANY course
long enough,
you are bound to get
SOMEWHERE ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TRINITYOnce there was a mean old man
with a long gray beard
who lived in the sky.
People said he was good,
but the way they described him,
I never knew why ...The man had a son
who lived long ago
in a place called Galilee.
He was perfect, of course,
so the way he behaved
could not be expected of me ...And there was this sanctified spook
who haunted the church;
awesome, invisible, near.
I never was certain what purpose he served,
but, holy or not,
he filled me with fear ...Now, lately, they're different,
somehow rearranged.
They're simply my father,
my master,
and the glow in my heart.
How could they have changed?
Arkansas Anthology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AT A FUNERALWhy,
in empty anguish
cry?
The soul lives on,
it does not die ...Oh?
You ask me how
I came to know?
My friend came back
and told me so.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A MATTER OF CHOICESaid Novice Sage, of tender age,
"I want a silver sled."
Quoth Sage's Dad, "I'm sorry, lad;
They only come in red."The youngster saw the simple law,
that makes us cursed or blest
according to our point of view:
"I'll like a red sled best."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FOR WYNETH (VI)I did not choose my father,
nor my mother ...
No choice had I
of sister, brother ...
I did not pick our children,
although I love them, too ...
Of all these people dear to me,
I have chosen
only you ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WEEDSDid God make weeds?
No ...
Man made weeds,
when he invented
the hoe ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHY JUSTICE IS BLIND
Sight is a blessing she cannot afford.
If she saw the decisions
men make in her name,
she would fall on her sword.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PEACEPeace has existed
only when those
who would
conquer their neighbors
could not,
and those who could,
would not ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RIDICULEOh, Lord, deliver me from these men
whose evil spouts from tongue and pen,
who wield so well that lethal tool,
the slashing blade
of ridicule.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WITCH-ANGELSaid she, with a grin and a cackle of glee:
"They'll never, no, never make a witch out of me.
I'm too good!
And then, when they call me a saint,
which I ain't,
it makes 'em all sad
to find I'm so bad!
Hee! Hee!
But still, it is true,
Old Agnes can do
a something or two ..."She stroked Mother's head: the fever departed.
She stared at a candle: it suddenly lit.
(Our cat backed under the table, and spit.)
She patted the baby, scooped up her hat,
pointed her finger and pilaxed the cat.
(He's made a fine doorstop, all of these years.)
With a touch, she flattened my jar-handle ears,
then blew us a kiss ... that eerie old dame,
and flew (?) out the door as quick as she came.Oh, yes, it was true: old Agnes could do
a something or two ...
But, angel or witch? I never knew which.Do you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THREE PROPHETSThree men stood at the seashore.
The Mystic said,
A great wave will soon strike this shore;
let's go to higher ground.
But the others laughed at him, so he went alone.Some time later, the sighted man said,
Behold, a great wave is approaching;
let's go to higher ground.
But the blind man laughed at him, so he went alone.Still later, the blind man heard a rushing sound,
and fled for his life.When he reached the others, he said,
Surely you are prophets! You know the future
and foretell that which will come to pass.The sighted man turned to the Mystic, saying,
I merely beheld the wave as it came;
but you, sir, are truly a prophet.And the Mystic smiled as he said,
I notice that your shoes are also dry ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YANKEE"Now, close, I am," the old man said,
"Tightfisted, that is true ...
But never have I taken pay
for work I did not do ...""A union man, I was, one time,
when unions first were new ...
But never have I taken pay
for work I did not do ...""So cash your check, and swell your chest,
and boast you got your due ...
But never have I taken pay
for work I did not do ..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AMERICAN SIGHAgain, and yet again,
from a far-off land
with unfamiliar name
comes the same old helpless cry:
"America! America!
We starve ...
we bleed ...
we die ... "And again, and yet again,
rolls back across the sea:
"Ah, hell ...
Oh, well ...
OK,
send me ... "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OUCH !
Three youthful fighter-pilots,
inspired by 90-proof,
climbed upon the airlift hootch
and tromped across the roof.An ancient airlift navigator,
reclining in his bed,
put six rounds of tracer
through the roof above his head.No doubt the nav was careful
to miss them with his fire,
but neither he nor they recalled
those piles of concertina wire ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JOE GRUNT
(G. I. Joe in Viet Nam)What happened? Where am I?
That sonavabitch with the AK-47
was shootin' right at me!
What is this place? Not a hospital ...Who are you?
Peter who?
Oh.
Oh ... uh ... I guess that means ...
I'm dead.But ...
if you're THAT Peter,
then this place must be ...What'm I doing HERE?
But why? I don't belong HERE.
There's gotta be some mistake.Because I'm not much good.
Because I smoke, and drink, and cuss a lot.
And I hardly ever go to church.
And I live in a hole in the ground,
like an animal.
And I kill people.I have ...
killed people.No, I didn't want to ...
Well ... hell yes, sometimes I did.
Sometimes ... sometimes
I wanted to see the little bastards dead!Because I saw what they do.
Like what they did to those poor farmers ...
and the folks in that village ...
and the little kids on that school bus ...
I saw ...Excuse me ... what'd you say?
I guess I wasn't listening.You want me to meet WHO?
Ah, come on, you gotta be shittin' me.
Uh ... sorry about that.
I just got used to saying it.OK. I'll go if you really want me to.
Uh ...
Uh ...
Hello, Sir.But, Sir, when did I ever see you hungry?
Or thirsty ...
or alone and afraid ...
or naked, or sick, or wounded ...Sir, I never saw you under attack
and tried to defend you.
Why, I wasn't even born when you ...What did you say?
"greater love has no man ..."
Oh.
Oh, Sir ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A THUMBNAIL SKETCH OF THE AUTHORborn: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, 1934
son of Herbert E. Swett, attorney,
and Marcia (Fadner) Swettgrade schools: Wisconsin, Colorado, Texas
high school: Pasadena, Texas, 1951
university:
Arkansas, B.A., 1955
New Hampshire, M.A., 1970married: Wyneth June Haskins,
(B.A., University of Arkansas, 1954)
Ponca City, Oklahoma, 1955children:
Scott Lawrence, 1957
Bruce Alan, 1959United States Air Force, active duty, 1955
Navigator - Bombardier (B-47), 1957
Avionics Maintenance Supervisor, 1964
509th Bombardment Wing
Strategic Air CommandStudent, Air Force Institute of Technology, 1965
Scientist, Air Force Office of Aerospace Research, 1966
Student, U. S. Armed Forces Staff College, 1969
Wing Navigator, and Wing Civic Action Officer,
315th Special Operations Wing, Viet Nam, 1970
