Some folks wanted to read what I offered at Les's memorial today, so here you go:
Les's Valentine Sonnet to Sue 2002
That Sunday in the fallo of a distant year,
We walked the arboritum, touching hands.
Now it's taken your all to quell my fear
And mine to sooth your shifting sands
When the kid-worn work of my day is done
and rugged snows roar blind and deep,
You, my Sue, are the only one
I'll dream of when I drift to sleep.
Won't you be my mate to delve and play?
This time you be the dad and I'll be the mother.
Sue, I'm here because I could not stay away:
Let's savor our lives with the sense of the other.
So come rest beside me, warm and near;
You are my winter sun, my dear
---
{A file I found that I wrote to Les on his computer:}
Howdy Les!!
Someday you'll find this.... let me know when.... I may have to blow it and tell you, because I want you to read this soon...
Love,
We talked about that a little last night. We both seem to be struggling with what that whole concept is about.... There is so much about you that creates a deep feeling of gratitude in me. I love you: your wit, your sensitivity, your creativity, your generosity, your ego, your lack of ego, your patience, your depth, your willingness to risk - to open me into your emotional self, your attentiveness, your appreciation of simple and deep gifts, your way, in that way you are smart, your honesty, your attention to detail and your ability to see the whole picture, your metaphors, your fantasies, [fantasy baseball teams: Mazeroski's and Logan Street Les-bians to name only 2] your energy, your positive view of the world and its possibilities, your problem-solving in the most "win-win" way, your artwork, your "body intelligence," your forgiveness of yourself, of me and of others,... (I could go on for pages....)
Simply what this says. I love so many things about you. I love you Les....
Oh, This morning at the very same time as the planes hit the towers, a sparrow dove into my door and died.
I sang "Circle Game" and buried it in the pine needles for it and all those we lost today.
---
{A Birthday Card I Sent to Les on His 65th Birthday:}
Today, watching you frolic in the sea made me love you so deeply. You are giving me so much in your ways: you absorb what you learn about a place. You support all the efforts people make, you give your all to make something happen and also celebrate that which moves you. I loved watching you dive, anticipate, throw yourself, seek, calibrate, celebrate, paddle and kick and come up salty-eyed to do it again [and again and again] because it exemplifies YOU -- your best self: playing, learning, growing, moving, joining with.... I love the way you augment me. Happy Birthday, Sweetie! -- Love Sue and the rest of the world & Tarka too.