I don’t write in a journal everyday, but I have accumulated many entries over the past 50+ years beginning in 1966. Some items evolved into longer works. Among the leftovers little pieces survived. I thought a collection of these with a piece culled from the same date in a past year would make an interesting yearbook. The consistencies and inconsistencies of mind, skipping back and forth across time, provide varied perspectives. It is difficult to remember the context of the past we’ve lived; we also make suppositions about times that predate ourselves.

The few alterations from original drafts were to improve clarity. The worst of my work is not included. There remains enough mediocrity and immaturity to make me feel humble and you feel smart. There are also moments of accidental insight and incidental humor.

Author Stephen Crane referred to his little pieces as pills…apparently they were small and somewhat hard to swallow, but good for you.


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Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Paineful Song


November 6, 1967  (I was 22)

            Paineful Song
Thomas Tyme and brother Tim
soled shoes and sold shoes
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED.
That man came to buy
the shoes sold soled and guaranteed,
but before he bought
he thought Tim ought
to wear one out ot see
that he would not
after he bought
need to ply the guarantee.
So Tim tried one
and Tom the other.
Their trials made no holes,
and from that day
their shingle did say
These are the Tymes
That try mens’ soles

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