Foundku trio: Gatsby Series #1

With the 100th anniversary of the publication of "The Great Gatsby" exercising the synapses with a rereading, it was originally read in school many years ago, and finding unintentional sherku in Fitzgerald's writing.  Unintentional simply because I was not anywhere near him at that time, nor had the sherku idea occurred to me so I could share it and he could write accordingly.

A baby act

in costume,

champagne served 

in glasses 

bigger than 

finger-bowls

One of those

rare smiles,

the whole world

for an instant,

at that point

it vanished

Slow-thinking 

and full of 

interior 

rules, that act 

as brakes on 

my desires

Thanks to CB for the idea to revisit Gatsby 

Answer is 42

  I

Deep Thought took 7.5 million years to calculate the answer is 42

We said “I do” in 1982, and this year 2024, gets us to the anniversary is 42

Frustrating to see things develop, where the outcome 

should be good, and yet turns bad, don't folks know the answer is 42

Garden harvest has been good for my greens, cherry tomatoes, 

less so for the garlic, despite planting when the answer is 42

Voracious reader, turning pages among various book types, 

trying to escape from a world where the answer is 42

Weather varies in summer, not a surprise, much appreciated 

when the humidity is way down, closer to the answer is 42

Walking streak not as good as my reading streak, also need 

to work on the strength exercises, get back to where I was at 42

  II

Choosing your partner, do you throw caution to the winds, or 

calculate the pros & cons, going when the answer is 42

The bent brown leaf scuttles across the roadway, scratching 

the surface, almost crablike, looking for the answer is 42

He looked for other college presidents to join in writing letters 

to students, sharing advice on whether the answer is 42

Translation matters when working with a derivation of the 

original, or working within the language, where the answer is 42

Household chores have long been divided to share the work, 

and specializations that come naturally, when the answer is 42

“Take the cotton of the mind’s doom-ridden chatter out of your 

ears, hear the booming voice of the heavens” the answer is 42

So Sherlock, listen to “the roar of fate, the ruckus the muse 

makes” when you finally realize the answer is not 42

Credit for the quote to Haleh Liza Gafori’s translation of Rumi in her book “Gold”

For DS

"Once upon a time"

  I

Many written works start with "Once upon a time" and

Life changing events can be traced to once upon a time

The middle school substitute teacher approaches the entrance 

running the gauntlet of students eager-faced once upon a time

Greystone Social Club was the site of the 50's themed party

I got her phone number in good taste once upon a time

Apartment living had our landlord watching over her

while I was business trip placed once upon a time

The mindset matters, ask "Where were you when … " then

fill in the blanks, and find out post-haste once upon a time

As new homeowners in Linden, NJ we brought home  

Our two daughters as life was fast paced once upon a time

  II

The Clamshell Award was coined to recognize challenges opening containers after Tylenol was laced once upon a time

Corporate moves took us briefly to Illinois, then back to Jersey, before arriving to become Mass-based once upon a time

Traffic comes down the exit ramp, focused on vehicles from the left, pedestrians from the right were only misplaced once upon a time

Home search found a prime spot, and after the kids adjusted, 

determined to set our 10 year plan as events raced once upon a time

Her grandfather's garden and work in the canning process, 

turned her off fresh garden tomato paste once upon a time

Kudos to the Woosox for honoring the legacy of the Pawsox, 

without one, the other could not be placed, once upon a time

Forty-one years, some things forgotten, some things forgiven,  

This Sherlock frequently said "I love you," and embraced, once upon a time

For DS, for whom each day with is "once upon a time"

Diamonds in 42 lines

If she get to know you

Then they really have you

Ah, to be so exciting

It's good to need you so

Comin' up from the park

Don't it seem so far away

The smells of cookin' in the hallways

And he'd hide in a house

But it can't sing and dance

Girl, if it lasts for an hour, that's all right

And the sun gonna rise in the sky

Not a trace of doubt in my mind

And I am lost and I can't

Don't have to say it

If you want me to

Blind as a child

Why, you've become a grown-up girl

Humbled and awed by everything I'd found

Stay close to me

You are the words, I am the tune

Lord of my need, need, need

The boat that I row won't get me there soon

It used to be so natural

Good times never seemed so good

Wish I loved only one

But until I can find me

To forget the day

The blues now and then

Walk with me this day

I'll stay with you my love

Two together, forty years down

And more to go

Note: There is a writing challenge I gave myself to compose this. 42 is the answer to all things per Douglas Adams and his The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books.  Our wedding anniversary was on the horizon. Dolores has frequently talked of two key events the year we got married, one was our wedding day, the other was her going to the Neil Diamond concert and sitting in the 6th row. No, she doesn't say which is more important. That's okay. I have had more time with her. 

Coincidentally, the Neil Diamond musical "A Beautiful Noise" (https://abeautifulnoisethemusical.com/) was playing in Boston this year (July 2022) so we went and enjoyed it.  The playbill listed the 29 songs in alphabetic order (rather than in the order of the musical appearance). 29 is a good number for those who play cribbage. I took time to research the lyrics of the 29 songs. Found the fourth verse, took the second line (see 42 is the answer) and used this listing to craft the poem above. 

The last three lines are added to help make this about our anniversary.

For Dolores, my love

sherku: stir crazy

Love, your smile
Like corn kernels
In hot oil
Keeps me going
Stir crazy


For Dolores, and 35 more years!

sherku: anniversary

Resources
In azure
May not be
Encrypted
My love for
You is secure

sunrise in Wells, ME

For Dolores, 33 years ago we said "I do" and we are still doing!

sherku: milestone

another day
another year
another touch
another kiss
I love you



for Dolores

What is

A TV show without commercials

A full day whether daylight saved or not

Time again for that time of the month, that period

Almost 6 months

Our married life together

No, we are not in jeopardy
Terror is only for those who are afraid
Love provides energy to walk together into the unknown



The audio (podcast) version of this can be found here

For Dolores