A POET AND DON’T KNOW IT

I’ve always had a fascination with good writing, words, and rhymes. Hugh Miller (a member of the Peoria Ski Club, a Cat Research Engineer, and talented piano player) could play anything by sound and chord with the left. He could recite all the verses of any bawdy crude limerick or song ever heard and needed no encouragement to lead group singing of such. We even coined new verses. Fortunately, I can’t remember any of such unmemorable unworthy thoughts from such raucous period.

But I suspect I have lived my interest vicariously through Margo. Her story is attached. Baxter Black the headliner of our “date” is a veterinarian who has written many books and is world famous. Margo did not willingly, enthusiastically, rise at the open mic opportunity. My recollection is that I figuratively had to pry her out of her seat with a crowbar. It jump-started her towards enjoying performing.

During her writing days I felt compelled to write the attached poem, “Boots & Patches”. But a poem that has provided me much amusement every time I find it is also attached: “Buying a Bra”.

Well, Margo has retired from a notable cowboy poetry career after some fame in Central U.S., even having had invitations to national events. But the most significant test and endorsement of her work came at her invitation to perform at a group of some 200 ranchers from the Gyp Hills area at Medicine Lodge, Kansas. The Cowboy Storytellers Association of the Western Plains gathered every few months to swap stories, listen to cowboy poetry, and socialize. There wasn’t a city dude in the bunch. They enthusiastically received her poetry and said it was “right on” authentic.

Occasionally, even today, I think sometimes of lines that rhyme and still enjoy writing. I did a lot of writing during my Cat career: signed articles in national contracting magazines, sales releases to dealers, advertisements, product needs, etc.

The best example is a three-page unsolicited proposal I wrote to the U.S. Army Research & Development. In it, Cat offered to deliver a test vehicle to meet their needs to handle and stack three high 8’x8’x10, 20, and 40’ shipping containers in all rough terrain: sand, mud, uneven, etc., for $99,900. This was clear, concise, and succinct. It resulted in the satisfactory test of that machine (a combination of two modified products) and a few years later Cat successfully won the bid on the biggest single sale ever in Cat history.

Tight, clear, simple writing is an art, a skill worth developing, and is always appreciated.

Maybe it is an inheritable trait. My mother’s cousin, Carrie Cox, authored and was co-author of a couple of published travel books. I remember my Granddad Imes’s lengthy letters to us. More recently, we were entertained by Breana’s bi-weekly accounts of her teaching and other experiences in China.