Robeta Eckdall, Jan Tholen, Connie Leonhart, Dennis Kelly
The Librarian
__________________
I should’ve been—
A librarian instead of
Being a poet
Hiding in the stacks—
Of the William Allen White
Library back then
Just a mild-mannered—
Athens of the Midwest
Bookworming queen bee
I should’ve stayed—
In the Eisenhower Era
A Fifties recluse
A lover of books—
A card catalog crackpot
And kept to myself
I should’ve been like—
Alma in “Summer and Smoke”
The Sunken Garden
Newman’s Hospital—
Roberta’s Eckdall’s grandfather
Delivering me
Died across the street—
Kenyon Hall Retirement Home
Gone without a peep
__________________
I should’ve been—
A librarian instead of
Being a poet
Hiding in the stacks—
Of the William Allen White
Library back then
Just a mild-mannered—
Athens of the Midwest
Bookworming queen bee
I should’ve stayed—
In the Eisenhower Era
A Fifties recluse
A lover of books—
A card catalog crackpot
And kept to myself
I should’ve been like—
Alma in “Summer and Smoke”
The Sunken Garden
Newman’s Hospital—
Roberta’s Eckdall’s grandfather
Delivering me
Died across the street—
Kenyon Hall Retirement Home
Gone without a peep
