here’s the thing:
\nI knew only the edges of the man
\nto others went the task of knowing him
\nyet here I am writing of his
\nlife and death
\nstewing in my ignorance
\nso you get this form of ignorance
\nand you pay attention or you lose.<\/p>\n
Bill Metcalfe is dead he wore life like an elegant frayed shirt his job was teaching high school history two things I remember here’s the thing: I knew only the edges of the man to others went the task of knowing him yet here I am writing of his life and death stewing in my ignorance so you get this form of ignorance … Continue reading
\nhe was Marlon Brando in Guys and Dolls<\/em>
\nso out of place so talented such a waste<\/p>\n
\nhad an aura of quiet jazz
\nin a smoky blues club
\nand his sunken cheeks
\nwere the young Sinatra in Pal Joey<\/p>\n
\ndon’t know the details beyond
\nthe huge respect he earned
\nand almost flushed away with booze<\/p>\n
\nhow we all laughed
\nat a sixties staff party
\nwhen this skinny little guy
\nin a baggy unstuffed Santa suit
\ndid a hilarious take on ho ho ho
\nand then broke into pure Sinatra with the band.
\nAnd I remember a couple of more recent encounters
\ngrocery shopping
\nalmost toothless
\nalmost wordless
\nstill carrying off the shambling shtick
\na kind of dance
\nof better conversations
\nthat have stopped.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"