HOW I AM SPENDING MY SUMMER VACATION

Rereading Dorothy Parker

Is inspiring some verse

Don’t despair, stay with me here

Things could be much worse.

An assignment I gave my classes:

HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION

Not that you asked, but now bits of mine

The only ick: J’s* operation.

His knee showed no improvement

With his pt and his stretches

Silently he endured the pain

Bostonians aren’t kvetches.

Bs** we saw his family in Maine

The Berkshires next with mine

Lobsters, the ocean, and Norm Rockwell

The moments and company–fine.

Home to the out-patient hospital

To fix J’s meniscus, so torn

He’s now on the mend, doing well

And eating zucchini and corn.

My summer students have wowed me

Such talent, so funny and wise

They “get” the deal, as is true with life,

Work hard. Hang in. Revise.

Grit and moxie top the ‘Must-Haves’

With greens and exercise–all should-ies***

Dr. Oz gets bronze for his big push

The gold will always be Woody’s.

Yep. Laughing, adapting, and loving

That’s it. I’m all done preaching

It’s hot. It’s August. I’m packing swimsuits

Time for a little beaching.

* J — short for Jonathan, my husband

** Bs– Before surgery

*** shouldy–something almost as important as laughing.

NANCY DAVIDOFF KELTON