"If up's the word..." ! + group picture from 1/25/2024

Names missing:  Jan (next to Ken, back row) and Elmer (between Dave and Judith, back row)

You will see our merry assemblage from 1/25/2024 here!  It is a large group and  yet the picture does not show EVERYBODY.  I was joking with Marna, that if everybody came at the same time we might have to arrange seating for 50 people!  Even if you are not in the picture, everyone to whom this message is sent has been a valuable "attendee" and welcome friend, whether just one time or on a regular basis.  As Richard put it, we need to thank the group!  I certainly do.  

In that spirit, I enclose the last poem (if up's the word;and a world grows greener)  in Cummings "95 poems" (1958, dedicated to his 3rd wife, Marion Morehouse). The Swinging rhythms and exhuberant "you & me and everyone-ness" seems appropriate for the group!

if up's the word;and a world grows greener

 minute by second and most by more—

 if death is the loser and life is the winner

(and beggars are rich but misers are poor)

—let's touch the sky:

                                    with a to and a fro 

(and a here there where) and away we go 

 

in even the laziest creature among us

a wisdom no knowledge can kill is astir—

 now dull eyes are keen and now keen eyes are keener

(for young is the year, for young is the year)

—let's touch the sky:

                                    with a great (and a gay

and a steep)deep rush through amazing day

 

it's brains without hearts have set saint against sinner;

put gain over gladness and joy under care--

let's do as an earth which can never do wrong does

(minute by second and most by more)

—let's touch the sky:

                                with a strange(and a true)

and a climbing fall into far near blue

 

if beggars are rich(and a robin will sing his

robin a song)but misers are poor--

let's love until noone could quite be(and young is

the year,dear)as living as i'm and as you're

—let's touch the sky:

                                    with a you and a me

and an every(who's any who's some)one who's we.