This hum-drum blog is about to get a little class.

My first cousin, who for many years was addressed as Father Donald Durand, is now semi-retired and living in Oregon. He entered the priesthood as a very young man, studied at the Vatican and eventually served as parish priest in Silverton, OR.

Fr. Don no longer drives a car because of failing eyesight, but isn’t letting the grass grow under his feet.  Of his many interests (opera, fine arts, music) my cousin has recently revealed yet another talent. He has been bitten with the poetry bug and has shared a couple of his recent efforts that I find delightful and he calls silly scribblings. You be the judge.

The first one I received shortly after Thanksgiving is entitled:

My Word

I’d like to share a word with you:

Eggplant, melanzane, aubergine.

Which do you prefer?

My treasure is my garden;

I live off the proceeds of my produce.

I mulch it, manure it, and till it.

The chard in my yard is my Swiss bank,

My gold in the Yukon potatoes

My market investment in Roma tomatoes.

Rich should pay their fair share, we are told.

Would I pay any taxes,

If I lived in Texas?

I tithe my zucchini and gift my garlic

Drabby kohlrabi, the beets and the beans

Snow peas and carrots, I share them all.

But the crown jewel of the garden

An elegant eggplant plant

Sliced, salted, sautéed and savored

It becomes the French aubergine.

It layers lasagna, the Italian melanzane

Alongside the country bumpkin pumpkin.

‘Tis a purple paradigm of paradise; a poem

Thanksgiving 2012

Fr. Don Durand

This week I received a second gem, entitled:

The Meeting

Will the meeting please

                       Come to order

            Call the roll

            Read the minutes

            Set the agenda

            Give the speaker the floor

            Do we all see?

            Can we agree?

            How can it be?

In the parlor is a pachyderm

Said the lady with the tacky perm.

            Such a commotion!

            Table the motion!

            In apparent disgust

            The obvious is discussed

            Don’t be supercilious!

            Who is super silly?  Us?

            It’s just a cliché

            At the end of the day

            Such a commotion!            Table the motion!

            The order is out of motion.

            I yearn to adjourn!

            No, no.  It’s my turn

            Sine die, sine die

            Nice try.  Cast the die

            Without a day to die

            All in favor, say aye!

            Don’t cry! Sine die

            Be fruitful and multiply

            Sine die, sine die!

            Till we meet again!

Don Durand

June 2012