Sacramento Poet Laureate Bob Stanley penned this poem dedicated to James in 2011. Stanley has a new book Miracle Shine and he will be the guest of honor at a book signing on May 27th (7:30pm) at the Sacramento Poetry Center.

Ten Gallon Hat / Giving the World

a man rides out across

the landscape of his soul

into the emptiness of his worlds

and cries

jim

I never knew you

but your words cry out

in a language we all understand

the language of the kid

beaten back

the story we hear as myth

evil stepmother evil stepfather

except it’s not myth

and the kid

fights back

in ways he can

you were a star

a ballplayer who could hit

with the best of them

a writer who worked the edges of the scene

and fought for every game,

every reading

every moment

you fought back to find the peace

that your youth denied you

and songs came

and gave you life

the words

that you wrote for the woman

the words

you wrote for the boy

the words

gave you a life that lasted

longer than the one

you got in your

finally broken body

the old man steps up to the plate

and all the ballplayers snicker

but that over the hill dude

hits one into the seats,

then another

then another

line drives soaring across

the sky

meteors in the day

moving fast

your drive

sails on

and we’re watching today

we’re hearing your words

thanks Jim

for giving the ball a ride

giving the world what you did


Bob Stanley, 2011