REMINDER: If you missed Kristi Holl’s words of wisdom yesterday on Writers at Work, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to enjoy what she has to tell us. Kristi (and Sandy Asher) thanks again for a good conversation this month on the subject of making the most of on-line writing challenges. Congratulations to Kristi on her two new grandchildren in ten days!
Hi everyone,
I nearly missed the month but here’s my RELATIVE poem to fit the July theme. Tomorrow is August. Can you believe it?

My Uncle Wayne
taught me to wink,
said I’d find it useful
when I got older,
taught me to yell at
Wild Red Berry wrestling dirty,
taught me the rat-a-tat-tat
of a speed punching bag,
said it would make me a man,
called me his favorite nephew,
a private joke between us –
he had no others.
During the war
when sugar was scarce,
he shipped candy just for me
way out West to our new home.
Aunt Helen said
when they got married
he had a dirty streak
down his back
where he couldn’t reach.
He said that’s why
he married her.
She begged him
to play his violin, he said no,
he was better when he was ten.
He bet a guy he could
tote a bag of cement
up three flights of stairs,
won, said it nearly killed him.
What did
were four packs a day
no matter the pain.
Lovely man,
my Uncle Wayne.
— David L. Harrison