Walk and Walk Some More

Written
2013

 Walk and Walk and Walk Some More

 

Down the hill, walk, walk

         over the trestle railroad bridge

         and to the North edge of town.

Walk, walk the 9-mile route

         twice a day and once on Saturday

         then         walk, walk home up the steep hill.

All weather is walking weather to you.

         The weather maker’s palette

         has no surprise for you.

Walk and walk faster to beat the

         drop off truck’s time to the relay box,

         save time for a bit of gossip.

Old Man Sweatman

         fished the Elk last week so walk, walk

         to hear  his five-minute boast

The mechanics have a car

         that will not run right and they have worked

         on it all morning, Walk,walk.

Ms Palito’s daughter had a baby

         and she reminds you that

         must remember little Donna.

 

 

 Ms O’Brien will want to know why her

         Old Age Pension check has not come

         and you tell her it is the wrong week.

Say good morning to Ms, Gold Star Taylor

         remembering you brought her

        the last letter from France.

There is that darn barking dog

         every day the same threat

         man’s best friend, mail carriers worst enemy.

The tin shop is a welcome stop on a cold day

         and in summer Crask will have cool glass of water

         and lots of comment on local political corruption        

Fill your pockets with pennies

         to lend to folks who need a loan

         to pay postage due.

.

Walk, walk 11 trips a week         for 30 years makes it

         twice around the world or so

          we once figured on the back of that envelope.

Any working day I could find you on your route

         predictability and routine better

         than any electronic Global Positioning System.

 

Walk and walk to rid the poison

         of the greasy Lee’s Barbecue hamburger.

         Walk, walk away the pounds.

Christmas came once a year for weeks

         of holiday mail overtime pay

         for a tight Christmas budget.

 Shoes wear, but do not blister,

         broken in by a son proud enough

          to have depression new shoes to accept a few blisters.

There may not ever have been any

         meanness in you but if there

         was you sure got rid of it with walk, walk.

You had an apatite for meat and greasy gravy and would have          answered nutritionists on your 96th birthday

         that long life was to walk, walk and walk some more.

And you left a reminder for your boys

         who still walk ,walk with a hand on left hip

         to brace for a heavy mail pouch

 

Doug Minnis 3/29/13

 

 

 

 

Walk and Walk Some More  

Down the hill, walk, walk

                  over the trestle railroad bridge

                  and to the North edge of town.

Walk, walk the 9-mile route

         twice a day and once on Saturday

         then  walk, walk home up the steep hill.

All weather is walking weather to you.

         The weather maker’s palette

         has no surprise for you.

Walk and walk faster to beat the

         drop off truck time to the relay box

         save time for a bit of gossip.

Old Man Sweatman

         fished the Elk last week

         and he has a five-minute boast

The mechanics have a car

         that will not run right

         and they have worked on it all morning.

Ms Palito’s daughter had a baby

         and she reminds you that

         must remember little Donna. 

 Ms O’Brien will want to know why her

         Old Age Pension check has not come

         and you tell her it is the wrong week.

Say good morning to Ms, Gold Star Taylor

         remembering you brought her

        the last letter from France.

There is that darn barking dog

         every day the same threat

         man’s best friend, mail carriers worst enemy.

The tin shop is a welcome stop on a cold day

         and in summer Crask will have cool glass of water

         and lots of comment on local political corruption        

Fill your pockets with pennies

         to lend to folks who need a loan

         to pay postage due.        

Walk, walk 11 trips a week for 30 years makes it

         twice around the world or so

          we once figured on the back of that envelope.

Any working day I could find you on your route

         Predictability and routine better

         than any electronic Global Positioning System.

Walk and walk to rid the poison

         of the greasy Lee’s Barbecue hamburger.

         Walk away the pounds.

Christmas comes once a year for weeks

         of holiday mail  overtime pay

         for a tight Christmas  budget.

 Shoes wear, but do not blister,

         broken in by a son proud enough

          to have depression new shoes to accept a few blisters.

There may not ever have been any

         meanness in you but if there

         was you sure got rid of it with walk, walk.

You had an apatite for meat and greasy gravy and would have         

         answered nutritionists on your 96th birthday

         that long life was to walk, walk and walk some more.

And you left a reminder for your boys

         who still walk ,walk with a hand on left hip

         to brace for a heavy mail pouch

 

Doug Minnis 3/29/13

 

 

Notes
My father was a mail carrier and is 90th birthday was celebrated with the establishment of the Jack Minnis Collection. This collection of many old postcards of Trinidad, Colorado will soon be 20 years old. This poem is in celebration of that date (June 20,2013)