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Show THE ZEPHYR JUNE 1991 PAGE 31 S In the last few months, too many of our good friends here in Moab have died. All of them were too young to leave us. And whether their parting came suddenly or after lingering illness, there is never enough time (for me at least) to understand. More than a few people have asked that I find a way to pay tribute to them. But I find myself sorely lacking; all I can offer is a poem by Stanley Kunitz, which I've carried around with me for a long, long time. So for Doris and Kurt, for Emmett, for Marion, for Lyle, for Bill, for Margie, for Robin, for Emily. And for the friends to whom you've had to say goodbye.... The Long Boat When his boat snapped loose from its moorings, under the screaking of the gulls, he tried at first to wave to his dear ones on shore, but in the rolling fog they had already lost their faces. that caring. content to lie down with the family ghosts He was in the slop of his cradle, buffeted by the storm, endlessly drifting. Peace! Peace! To be rocked by the Infinite! As if it Too tired even to choose between jumping and calling, somehow he felt absolved and free of his burdens, those mottoes didnt matter which way was home; as if he didnt know he loved the earth so much he wanted to stay forever. Stanley Kunitz 1985. Atlantic Monthly Press : stamped on his name-taconscience, ambition, and all g The New Age ladderer, like Gatsby, says to himself: "Go For It! But also, Lean Is Clean. And Is about climbing the corporate ladder In this new post Reaganomics age. Who will leave his ladder behind, and be left out of the climb for the top? This Is the American Dream you are debunking, Jim. There will come a time when we will no longer celebrate Arbor Day. When the chaining (vegetative manipulation) Is complete, what we will have Is Ladder Day. And you can guess the moral dimension here too, and the name of that man we will crown as the most noble of those who compete on those Ladder Days. It Is about self reliance, courage, manliness, getting It up, and then balancing on your own. Woodpecker. We will emulate the Ladder-BackAnd what about clothes. I can envision the day when we will dress and Is Patagonia already making printed synchllla, ed trees. When nylons for this sport as sportive birds, singing In our own austere see to these or lycra snag, we say they are laddered. Let us begin Imperfections as beautiful In themselves, variegated, even as we are. As for Riparian Laddering (L riparious IE relpa, a steep edge) our motto Is "Get ed two-legg- Down!" Keep It up! Michael Peter Cohen, Cedar CKy, Utah Dear Jim: tor me and visiting with Coming to Thompson on Amtrak opened the desert I tell me about Edward them Beverly Shaw and Norene Nlcholls at the restaurant heard Pierson In the April Abbey. He was around when they lived In Green River. Thanks to Lloyd Zephyr. I learned more. In I think was his last public reading Abbey wanted a better world, thats obvious. I before he died, he expressed this to his audience. am not much of taking notes, but did what I could faithfully. People are not that Interested In Abbey In Seattle and since the Zeohvr Is read In Moab, what I wrote about Abbey might Interest the readers there. Seattle Audience Hears Edward Abbey attteElllotBay Edward Abbey read from his new novel, THE FOOLS u I went because lam Book Store In downtown Seattle on Halloween Night j and guidance. him. His books on the Southwest are read for knowledge and Insight suppose that Is why so many people came. I vriMbsableto see and The placels crowded. I have to sit In the eating area, but What were h hear him. I wont be able to ask him a question I thought of asking. Impressions of Seattle? From h, s Just before he Is Introduced, he Mike by me end Jlmowheb Abbey. from pictures maybe. From his uniqueness, he looks apsit Is WM he roads Is funny. Everyons smiling. He ha he reads those parts In aid sequence of ridculous things happening. He calls It comedy his book. begins by reading the part on the noisy refrigerator, follows with the unappetizing egg, the gurus workshop In body health, and ends on the anecdote of the trapper: to convince his wife the animals paw Is not hurt In his trap, he shows his wife how It Is done by putting his hand In one of the traps and springs the trap on tt. He tells his wife she can see he Is In no pain. Yes, she says, now gnaw your paw off. Many women were present at the reading. I think many of the questions came from them. When Abbey heard a question, he repeated tt so we could all hear. Immigration? He likes diversity of people, wouldnt want to live In a place where everyone looks alike. There Is a danger of our country becoming overpopulated. Immigration Is the cause of It Gun control? People need guns. Their greatest threat Is government They are not effective against tanks, but government would listen to people with guns. Someone said he gives the appearance of an actor. He smiles. Some of his words He seem to come from his very depths. A world family and how might tills be accomplished? He Is not against It It could start In the home, and then In the schools and community. There were other things he said and I dont know whether they came from questions. He Is an anarchist He spends his winters In Arizona and his summers In Southern Utah. He wants to see mountains In China, to travel In Antarctica and Africa. He closed the reading with these comments: he has been married four times, Is raising four children, one from each marriage, and It was his wives who wanted children. He didnt want to have children. I had brought twenty dollars so I could buy his book and have him sign It Maybe I could think of something to say to him and something he could write In the book. He had Just talked me out of buying the book. I wanted to give him some of my energy and I didnt have It tfien. Maybe I was disappointed. There was only one question about the desert, and he said he was a pessimist and the future of the desert Is not promising. I will remember him by his brushed hair, his medium blue Jeans and outdoor shirt, his frequent drinking from a glass he filled from a pitcher, that I thought might not be filled with water since It had a slightly brown color. I had no one to talk to, I was alone. I thought why do so many gifted writers stand I It Is for his craft? up Abbey? suppose so. His unflinching way of writing and his knowledge of the desert I think of the rivers he speaks of, he likes to raft on the Green and Colorado. I see their rich brown water flowing, curving, winding, and bending, moving to the sea.... Herbert Steiner, Seattle, Washington . Af., 0 jsw' |