Beside Her

She stood upon the mossy brink,

     Enraptured I espied her;

I spread myself to leap across

     To stand in joy beside her.

I failed to measure quite correct,

     The stream was somewhat wider;

And then I floundered in the drink,

     Much like a crazy spider.

She laughed and said ‘twas jolly fun,

     Did charming plaguesome Ida;

Who wished she had a hook and line

     To draw me up beside her.

The stream of fame is much the same,

     And on its bank the riddle;

We brace ourselves to leap across

     And flounder in the middle.

Dec. 16, ‘92

Pub. in the

Berlin News,

March 1, ‘94