John was driving by
Venzo's farm one
fine summer afternoon
when he saw Venzo
jumping around
throwing rocks at
his hay baler.

"You gotta help me
fix this goddamn thing!"
said Venzo.

"There's better mechanics
in town," said John.
"I'd fix it like an inventor.
It'd work, but not proper."

"Well,  I'm a goddamn
musician!" said Venzo,
who had a degree from
a fancy school in New York City
and only came back home
when his father died.
"I don't FARM proper!"

So John fixed the machine
and Venzo farmed
(with a little help from
side activities like
his Orrville Hayseed Marching Band)
till the nineteen fifties
when he died
and the music
he demanded for his funeral
was too hard
for anybody around there to play.

Good fun, Rick! Just love "Well,  I'm a goddamn/musician!" This poem takes a good look at how individual rural people are and are allowed to be -- moreso in my experience than city people -- despite a stereotype to the contrary.
Had a friend Johnny in Boston, a transvestite who came from the same area as my garden in New Hampshire hills. When he visited he said -- and it was clear, meeting his folks -- that it was the only place he really felt accepted for who he was. Not "a trannie", not anything, just Johnny. Tom

"baler" for "bailer"?

bravo, Rick
excellent pen

Stella

My, Rick, you wield a mean pen! I love these poems and the characters portrayed. Your art so similar to that of a first rate cartoonist - such truth behind such wry humour. Will be picked.

milner

dear Rick

i had commented on this one in your journal
so let me dup it here


dear Rick

i like the flavor of this a lot !

feels less Apple Jack and more Brunello

smiles
silent lotus

Rick--really enjoyed this. it is a wonderful portrait of the unexpected roads life takes us down.

Up she goes.

milner

good choice, milner!

Love the tasks at work in this one, rick.  Love the feel of duty, of being capable and not. 

ld

Thanks all.  Venzo's a lovely character, isn't he?

Rick

yes yes lovely indeed!  rick this was a refreshing read this afternoon and the light humor plays so well with the death in the end.  fine execution and a punch worth telling in the local pub.  worthy pick editors and enjoyed rick thanks. -lawrence

Thanks for the edit, Tom.

Confident I won't tire of reading this.

milner

Neither shall I. Great Pick.

Congrats, Rick!!!

I missed this one.  So sorry.  Just commented on the 'loud man'.  Same goes for this one.  You're a heartwarming, interesting, and delightful storyteller and you keep sharing it over and over again.

cheryl

great to see this on the Front Page
congratulations, Rick

Stella

Rick--just wanted to come back and reinforce how much I enjoy this piece. Congrats!

Bear,

Nice to see this on the cover.   ;0)

Cronk

I  just love this, Rick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)

so do I

Wonderful.

Rich

Well.....this sounds more like a synopsis for a Raymond Carver short story. I'm not sure this qualifies for me as poetry. It has a nice feel though.
Best  William Bibby