Categories
poems

Love’s First Sighting

I saw her walkmine eyes did gawkshe moved with graceat her own pacesilky sauntersmy breath faulters Body and limbboth taut and trimwith hips a-roundmy mood aboundher bosom softdesire aloft Brown eyes dancingneed romancingshe seems to floata surreal ghostdazed influencecrave confluence Smiles sweet and brightoh welcomed sightrefined fashion‘lectric passionplease let me sipthose moist red lips on […]

Categories
Current Events

Steinberg Skating Rink

A 50-year Forest Park legacy One of St. Louis’ most beautiful landmarks, the Mark C. Steinberg Ice Skating Rink in Forest Park, celebrates its 50th anniversary this month. Ceremonies at the rink last Saturday included presentations, skating races and figure skating demonstrations. This Saturday, it will be 50 years to the day since it opened. […]

Categories
People

Missing Our Friend

Thomas Edward Hopfinger was first diagnosed with cancer back in January 2019.  The disease took root in his kidneys, an especially virulent and aggressive cancer that takes a vast majority of its victims within a year.  But Herr Hopfinger defied the odds due to his solid Germanic stock and will.  He persevered for nearly five […]

Categories
poems

Celebrate Rain

Baptismal fount, curative rain Blessed from above, pardons our stain. Nature’s fury, lightning the skies, Thunder rumbles, wind howls and cries Dance on roof tops, soothing the mind Relieving angst, muffling our pine. Cleansing shower, liquid launder Wash down the mire, rinse ‘way squalor Water the corn, barley and wheat Nourish the crops, all that […]

Categories
music

Serendipitous Ringo Starr

            “He’s the luckiest man since Ringo Starr.”   We apply this catchphrase to successful folks deemed more lucky than talented.  They inherited wealth, or through ‘connections’ found enviable success.              Yet, the above-catchphrase misstates Ringo Starr’s trajectory.   Luck means success brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions.  Serendipity—the occurrence and development of events […]

Categories
poems

Current River Runneth

Current River runneth, clear daylight stream                          Flowing along tree-lined idyllic dream                  With blue spring hydrants, so pristine sublime Pour forth fresh waters, pure crystal divine   Quiet meanders, backwater eddiesFluid descent, tide timeless and steady Fork pointed islets, rush white water shoals,Fill deep silent pools, the depth of ye soul Cascades hasten, through rocky defilesThen gentle […]

Categories
sports

Jack & Harry in London with Tennessee Williams

Hell-o again, everybody !   Harry Caray here along with Jack Buck and several well-heeled Cardinal fans who have nothing better to do than spend 10 hours each way to watch a couple of ball games here in London.   True that, Harry.  These fanatics possess that rare combination of both money and time to burn […]

Categories
Current Events history

A Shrinking Diocese Diminishes Us All

Our City’s church spires stand as testaments to historic St. Louis’ remarkable growth, and the Catholic parish system that grew entwined with it.    Today, church bells resonate with tales of the Catholic Church’s retrenchment when the St. Louis Archdiocese announced 35 church closures, and yet to be announced school closings. These stark realities converse the […]

Categories
People sports

An Adieu to a Red Bird Personified

Some critics once called Mike Shannon “the world’s luckiest man since Ringo Starr” when he was hired to work in the broadcast booth as color commentator with the legendary Jack Buck.  Detractors called him “mush mouth” as his early radio voice lacked the refined articulations heard from seasoned broadcasters.    But the green rookie learned […]

Categories
People

The Earring

Hidden beneath the forest canopy of the Uncompahgre Wilderness, a single man pushes distance from the mechanized world that dogged him.   A light wind stirs the aspen trees, their leaves sounding like feathered wings of wisp set off in flight.  He stops at a snowmelt rivulet cascading down a mountain crease, and waits for his […]