ACCOUNT OF MY DAYS
Sequence: 4
LARRY MILLER
when you call back there to order the flowers
they know how to spell R e n s b e r g e r
but listen politely when out of habit you rattle it off
and Much Love From Your Boyhood Friend
doesn't strike them as oldfashioned sentimental
they'll check about the viewing for you
and manage everything except connecting memory
with knowledge which is left to pain the usual
here's this for Larry: always a fat kid but not soft
deepchested broadshouldered like his fierce St. Bernard
the family business was heavy equipment
backhoes bulldozers and the work they could do
his first vehicle was a red scooter lawnmower engine
pull the cord and go admirable to me the sixth grader already
doing tractor work but allowed only a bicycle for fun he rode
barefoot and used his feet for brakes even (I saw this) on gravel
last time I saw him was at grandma's house had to be
a decade ago he stood just inside the back door wouldn't
come further because of his muddy clothes well what I do
for fun now is mulepacking I come down your way
every summer go into the Hoosier National deep as we can get
stay there a week so quiet you don't hear any traffic
camp out no work nothing to do you should come along
sometime I'll call you sure love to sounds great IN MEMORIUM