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John Wayne passed away While I was gone Among New Hampshire lakes No paper reached me that whole week No radio, no TV. The world stopped, time froze As if Not one thing ever happened With me gone It seems John Wayne is still with us And do I wonder sometimes What new picture is his next. And back where I once grew up A wide green field across from home Had sticky bushes everywhere The city sprawl had not yet reached it Though it came near. And far beyond it A hill topped by a lone low pine tree Stood perched above a view of the great ocean And underneath that tree, bed of dry needles One could sit in shade, at times for hours To watch far ships and clouds above them I have not been there twenty years now But sure, all is still standing, still unchanged Don't tell me it's built up now, no it isn't! No, no, it still exists! Hear me? And my history teacher from high school So cheerful. young, devoted, earnest Still wears her hair rolled up into a bun. Oh yes, and I recall a sculpture By Eskimo craftsmen, of a bear Of stone, gray and hand-carved, It reared up lifelike, sniffed the air Cost thirty dollars in the gift shop Where we found it on our honeymoon But we lacked money, and I wouldn't buy it And now that I have what it takes, if we go through Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park (though there is not much chance we will) I shall buy it. Oh yes, it's still there On the shelf where we last saw it. Time does pass. But within our minds The world remains young. And old memories stay Like flowers pressed, long long ago Inside a book. And the same Sun keeps shining brightly Year after year Year after year. |