Spoor Sleuth

Written
1994

 I caught a glimpse

       or was it a shadow?

In the corner of my eye

       I thought I saw 

       a Blue and Gold blur.

But perhaps it was

       only the golden sun setting

       on the Berkeley Blue Bay.

Or maybe it was

         a bright big game banner of

         a generation ago.

That would explain the slight

         red tinge of the blur

        and the axe.

Surely, my knitting must stop  

      and  check the direction of the blade.

But I saw something

      and it was there.

I know, I think and maybe,

      but I saw the something.

I come from old mountain men.

Our eyesight is especially good.

We never miss a sighting so

       I have to think it was our elusive F T E.

It had been here

       because I see the spoor.

I have the plaster casting

     and a witness

     who saw the F T E go this away.

I know Robert

       would like this FTE stew

       or a bit of cash

      maybe even both.

Jon cares not

     what it is

     so long as

      it was raised

      in the Harvard Yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes
This poem was a wise crack to my colleagues Robert de Vires and Jon Sandoval. We had been promised another Full Time Equivalent for the Joint Doctoral program by the Office of The president. For the moment UCLA captured the funding. We eventually got it back.