Rotary Log for October 1, 2015

Rotary Log for Meeting of October 1

by John Rice

Photos by Sara Treacy

Our incomparable songmeister Judy Ringer led us in God Bless America and Father Allen most properly blessed the food. It was a beautiful opening to the club’s “Annual Poetry Hoot” as coordinated by Dave Holden.

The club’s literary bards came out of the woodwork, giving us varied verse to ponder. Louis read a poem extoling the trials of young love. The piece was done entirely en espanol and then translated.

Bob Field, sitting at his table, read a beautiful selection about true genius in ordinary friendships. With Yogi Berra’s recent passing,

Jay Gibson couldn’t resist giving us some “Yogi-isms.” They followed a reading of Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. It’s probably one of poetry’s most familiar works, but always wonderful to hear again. And there was the limerick The Man from Nantucket.

Leonard Seagren entertained us with a parody of Eugene Field’s “Wynken, Blynken and Nod.” The doggerel mixes the U.S. Air Force Song (Off We Go into the Wild Blue Yonder) and fellow former pilot John Gillespie Magee Jr.’s High Flight.

Former President Trish was next, reading a poem authored by her daughter about the key to the universe.

That sparked the heretofore unprepared Father Allen to jump up. Gordon recited from memory Edward Lear’s The Owl and the Pussycat as well as an epitaph by Robert Louis Stephenson.

Sandy Tucker followed, reading a poem inspired by an Apple commercial she saw, at all times, during a Super Bowl broadcast. Dave Holden closed out the recitations by reading us the Robert Burns classic Auld Lang Syne. Gordon quickly explained to us that the translation is “For Old Times’ Sake.”

Marie Brownell, not to be outdone, recited a brief poem from her high school days. This as she walked off with the day’s $50 raffle winnings.

Announcements…Joanie Dickinson seeks speakers for her Interact group that meets at Portsmouth High. The program drew a robust 90 students two weeks ago…Barbara Miller wants us to know that Trivia Night is coming to the PCC November 4. Get your foursomes together—only one person in each group need be a Rotarian. Dave Holden reminded us to be sure to buy drinks for the other clubs….Finally the Bridge Walk happens October 24. Make your $25 contribution to eradicate polio and be there at 8:30 to register.

Respectfully submitted by John Rice