The Mockingbird Came Piping . . .

By Bruce Blasius

Have you ever been influenced strongly by a certain experience in your life? The inspiration for my poetry originated when I personally met Robert Frost in 1962 during a groundbreaking ceremony of Robert Frost Hall at Windham College in Putney, Vermont, where I was a student. At that point, he was in his eighties and was good friends with Dr. Walter Hendricks, who was the founder and president of Windham College. I was the shovel bearer for the groundbreaking ceremony and had helped clear the land for the new campus. Prior to that time, Dr. Frost used to come to the student cafeteria at Windham College and recite his poems during lunch, which were always memorable occasions for me. My poetry has been influenced not only by this great poet but also by Gods amazing creations, natures wonder, and personal reflections while doing simple things like walking in the woods on a snowy evening, remembering the people whose paths have crossed mine at some point or another, or having nonsensical musings on ordinary items, such as a pepper grinder:

Turning the handle,

Round and round,

Hearing the crushing,

Of the peppercorn sound.

The handle comes toward me,

Away then it leaves,

Arm outstretched,

To the center it cleaves.

Grindings its business,

All shredded to bits,

Shakins on the viands,

This title, it fits.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Feb 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973616368

Bruce Blasius

Bruce Blasius lives in Midland Park, New Jersey, and attended Windham College in Putney, Vermont. He has lived his life in accordance with Gods teachings and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior on April 6, 1973.

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Copyright © 2018 Bruce Blasius.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-1637-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-1636-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018901016

WestBow Press rev. date: 1/30/2018

EPIGRAPH

…A momentary stay from confusion

~~ Robert Frost

Similar to Robert Frost, who was much admired for his depictions of the rural life of New England, his command of American colloquial speech, and his realistic verse portraying ordinary people in everyday situations, my poetry has also been strongly influenced by situations familiar to the common man and the wonders of nature.

From So Cabbies Drive to During the Errands of the Day, these rhythmic poems were meant to motivate and encourage the reader to take glory in the simple wonders of everyday life and to never take precious moments for granted.

DEDICATION

I am happy with simple things and appreciate

the blessings God gave me, so these poems are dedicated to Him.

Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God.

I also dedicate this collection to my mother and father,

George and Frances Blasius.

FOREWORD

WHEN I MET ROBERT FROST

Robert Frost was good friends with Dr. Walter Hendricks, the Founder and President of Windham College in Putney, Vermont, where I attended school from 1959 to 1963. During my junior year in 1962, he used to have lunch with Dr. Hendricks in the student cafeteria. He would always recite something to us, so they were always very memorable occasions. One day Dr. Hendricks announced, Robert Frost is with us for lunch today, but he’s not going to be reciting anything. After lunch, we’re going up to the new campus and we’re going to dedicate Robert Frost Hall.

I had helped Dr. Hendricks clear the ground where the new campus was going to be built by cutting down brush, carting it off, and making the ground level. As I parked my car up the dirt road where the clearing was for the new campus, a Jeep pulled in front of me and out of the Jeep came Dr. Hendricks and Dr. Robert Frost. They opened up the back of the Jeep and took out two shovels: a silver one and a bronze one. Dr. Hendricks asked me if I would be the shovel bearer. I grabbed both shovels and followed them up into the clearing. When we got there, I was facing Robert Frost and held up the shovels. Dr. Hendricks said, Robbie, pick a shovel. So Dr. Frost said in a deep gravelly voice, The bronze. I started to hand him the bronze shovel, but Dr. Hendricks then said, No, Robbie, not the bronze – take the silver shovel. So Dr. Frost took the silver shovel, put it on the ground with his foot on it and his hands up on the top, then looked out over the Connecticut River Valley with a supremely poetic pose.

Addressing me, Dr. Hendricks stated, Bruce, you do the first shovelful. Robbie, give Bruce the shovel. (This was because Dr. Frost at that time was 87 years old and not very strong.) So I dug the first shovelful of earth with the silver shovel and handed it to Dr. Frost. He turned around and presented it to the