SECOND CUP

I crossed town today for breakfast
At the campus center for continuing ed
And ended up, instead, inside my head

The place — abuzz
Ag Extension busying the halls
With planning meetings for the fall

And there I was
Appropriately dressed — in plaid and brown
Milling, greeting, hurrying on to a plenary
Stimulated by the conversations — from my memory?
How to improve getting things done


Dennis!  Your breakfast!
Let these young move on


For 40 years I admired my colleagues in ag  
Holding in high regard
Their earnest discipline — in my mind, perfectly niched
Applying their dreams and substantial wits
To improve the rural communities they never quite left
 
Life on the farm, never my forte’
Nevertheless, the academy welcomed me
We shared years and careers
Several universities
Studying the issues that distinguished
Living and working outside cities


DRK
2/22/16