My other family

Hi everyone,

A few days ago RICHARD WAKEFIELD sent me a picture I’d never seen before. It was taken sometime around 1960 I think and shows all three Wakefield siblings, LARRY, RICHARD, and MARIDEL, plus Larry’s wife MARYANN and their two boys, SCOTT (in Maryann’s arms) and ALLEN (my godson).

I told Richard his brother looked like a hit man in this picture. Truth was, Larry played football in high school and retained his physique for most of his life. In this picture, Allen looks like you’d better not mess with him either. Larry is gone now. So is Maridel. And Scott. There are other Wakefields around, children and children’s children. Never met one I didn’t like. I’ve heard people refer to another person as “my chosen sister/brother.” The Wakefield clan is my chosen second family.

Mark your calendar for February 26

Hi everyone,

Missouri Poet Laureate JUSTIN HAMM is planning a Zoom poetry reading plus Q&A for Tuesday, February 26, at 7:00 p.m. CST that will feature all seven surviving Missouri poets laureate. He’s working on a flyer with more details so I’ll share that when it’s completed.

In reverse order, we are JUSTIN HAMM (#8, 2025-2027), DAVID L. HARRISON (#7, 2023-2025), MARYFRANCES WAGNER (#6, 2021-2023), KAREN CRAIGO (#5, 2019-2021), ALIKI BARNSTONE (#4, 2016-2019), WILLIAM (BILL) TROWBRIDGE (#3, 2012-2016)), and WALTER BARGEN (#1, 2008-2010). This will be the first time that all of us have come together to introduce ourselves, read a few of our poems, and respond to questions from the audience. Kudos to Justin! More soon.