Category David and Sandy

Oct 21 2025

A rare performance by Rapper Dave

Hi everyone,

As you know, SANDY and I, with the help of many friends, gave a program at The Library Center on the final night of my term as Missouri Poet Laureate. One of the numbers performed by Byron Biggers Band was a brief poem called Love. It’s about a beetle who falls in love, settles down, and raises a family. The gig is that I sing it first as a love song, the band interrupts me, makes fun of my soapy rendition, and challenges me to get with it. I grab a pair of sunglasses, the band ramps up, and I do what by all accounts is an awful version of a rap.

JEFF’S girlfriend, KATHRYN ATWATER, captured my performance for the ages and also took a still shot of Sandy and me exchanging the mic during the program. Thank you for being there, Kathryn, and for giving me permission to post these mementoes today.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v3qNNQfIzU2YmKKi9GRfIc4ukAQLxEBN/view?usp=sharing

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Thanks to Dean DAVE RICHARDS at Duane G. Meyer Library at MSU, the entire event was recorded and I’ll soon be able to provide a link for those who might be interested.

Oct 20 2025

Our cups (and glasses) ranneth over

Hi everyone,

We had the pure pleasure of having dear friends, MARY JO and HANK FRESCH, join us at Bella Vita for the past few days. We ate good food, visited, laughed, and enjoyed the blue skies and 80+ days.

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Mary Jo and I are working on a book so we took time out to make some recordings. The book will include 100 of my poems and they’ll all be recorded. Most of them already are. Mary Jo will bring her wizardry to write the rest of the book. I can’t wait to show it to you when the time comes. Here we are recovering from the strenuous work.

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Meanwhile, Hank managed to entertain himself while his wife was busy working.

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Mary Jo, I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted from our workload. I need to take it easy for a few days.

Oct 1 2025

Oh what a night!

Hi everyone,

I had a night to long remember and cherish. With SANDY co-presenting with me, we welcomed a full house of friends, colleagues, and supporters. I’ll let the pictures tell the story. My gratitude to all who came last night or worked in the background to make the evening come off so beautifully. I am now officially a former MO PL and am eager to know who #8 will be. Thank you Sandy!

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My thanks to KAREN CRAIGO, CLAUDETTE RILEY, and JANINE SACHS for posting the shots. The ones with the sunglasses? You sort of had to be there.

Sep 30 2025

My final day as Missouri Poet Laureate

Hi everyone,

Today I’ll speak at the Springfield Downtown Rotary Club. The name of my talk is, “Nothing Rhymes with Hymenolepis.” This morning I’ll go over my notes and will be ready by noon. This is a great organization. I know several members and look forward to being with them.

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This afternoon I’ll practice reading notes from the script I’ll use tonight during my program at The Library Center. SANDY will probably get in a few more readings of her own remarks. When I asked her to choose which poems I should use tonight, she went through several books and gave me a list of eighteen poems. I worked sixteen of them into the program.

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Yesterday I met with CHRIS CRAIG and GALE CLITHERO to rehearse the four numbers we’ll play tonight as Bryon Biggers Band. The program starts at 6:30 with a welcome from Sandy, introduction of special guests by me, and two of my poems performed by the Harrison Hitmakers, an after-school choir of 3rd and 4th graders from David Harrison Elementary. After that we’ll just keep on rolling. I look forward to an evening of fun and laughter. I hope to see a good turnout for my last few hours as Missouri’s 7th Poet Laureate.

Sep 23 2025

Watching nature watching nature

Hi everyone,

One evening a week ago, SANDY and I were sitting on the patio. We weren’t talking much. It was quiet around Goose Lake, except for some crows in a neighbor’s trees, having a fit about something, an owl maybe. The cat from across the street was paying us a visit. Once sufficiently petted, according to her terms, she had settled on the patio nearby. It would be dark before long. Already the shadows were growing long. I got to watching a bird at the top of our dead maple. It seemed to be keeping an eye on the sky to the north.

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Over in that direction a hackberry tree, starved for water, held up its emaciated leaves as though begging the clouds for a drink. The clouds nearest them were pretty but not likely to be of any help. But following them was a smattering of promise. I wondered if the bird understood or cared about the plight of thirsty trees, withered plants, browning grass. Sometimes you see quiet, dignified drama when watching nature watching nature. The bird flew. The clouds moved on. We went in to dinner.