Ode to a man who was a friend I met through archery and black powder rifle hunting. He died tragically in a head-on crash near his home.
Ramrod tall and straight he stood
And drew his osage bow.
Back and back he stretched the string
Before he let it go.
With elbow high and anchor firm
He took his deadly aim
His flinty eyes would bore down-range
The ten-ring score to claim
Unleashed, the shaft of river cane
Tore through the morning mist
The turkey feathers spun the shaft
As toward the mark it hissed.
Fist-deep the arrow pierced the foam
Of artificial boar,
Or deer or turkey, wolf or bear,
As Larry upped the score.
We marveled as we watched him shoot--
Jeanine and all us guys--
And though Jeanine could beat us all
Old Larry “took the prize.”
I tried to make him laugh with jokes,
To get him off his game
But never once did laughter spoil
His focus or his aim.
The only thing you had to watch
When he was off your flank,
Was essence of those last night beans
That erupted loud and rank.
For Larry wasn’t squeamish
‘Bout lettin’ loose a poot,
You’d know if from the awful sound,
And smell it in your snoot!
We loved those tournaments we shot
Here, there, and everywhere.
Jeanine and Larry always called
To make sure we were there.
But now we gather here to say
Goodbye to our dear friend.
In this the very pasture
Where often we have been.
Right here Old Larry taught me how
To shoot my flintlock gun:
He showed me how to wad and prime
And fire—my God, what fun!
The deer and turkey still will come
To visit here this year.
They’ll feed and roost and carry on,
And then they’ll disappear.
Perhaps they wonder where the man
Who provided for their needs
Has gone, and if he ever knew
The impact of his deeds.
For Larry cared for all of us
In caring, gentle ways,
And grateful we will always be
For all our livelong days.
Goodbye, tall man with dancing eyes
And thirty-two tooth grin.
We’ll miss your throaty, deep-voiced laugh
And hairy, dark-tanned skin.
You are, no doubt, far better off
Than we who here remain
So raise a glass to our good health
Until we meet again.