Fair Night.

[tablesaw]

Recently, a member of the npl passed away. Her hame was Mary Youngquist Hazard, but she was known to the Krewe as Nightowl.

A few weeks ago, she sent a note with a self-addressed postcard asking me about a recent puzzle I had authored. I thought it was a cool thing to do, but with the crazyness of the past two months, I forgot to respond. It's a bit late now.

This poem was written by her, and it appears in a few places on the web. It's a good poem with a remarkable restraint. Godspeed, Nightowl.

Winter Reigns

Shimmering, gleaming, glistening glow--
Winter reigns, splendiferous snow!
Won't this sight, this stainless scene,
Endlessly yield days supreme?

Eying ground, deep piled, delights
Skiers scaling garish heights.
Still like eagles soaring, glide
Eager racers; show-offs slide.

Ecstatic children, noses scarved--
Dancing gnomes, seem magic carved--
Doing graceful leaps. Snowballs,
Swishing globules, sail low walls.

Surely year-end's special lure
Eases sorrow we endure,
Every year renews shared dream,
Memories sweet, that timeless stream.

— Mary Youngquist

FriNYTX: 17:30.

Comments

[fuldu.livejournal.com]

In Indianapolis, I had a conversation with some older members about her. Over the course of that it came out that, as crypts editor, I was probably the youngest current member Nightowl was in regular correspondence with. But, as with your postcard, it was mostly one-way correspondence. I've had "Thank you letter to Nightowl" on my to-do list for about a year and a half, now, but it never got done. If ever I needed proof that e-mail has made me lazy about keeping in touch with people, this is it.

[saxikath]

Thanks, Tablesaw.

[wild-magnolia.livejournal.com]

Wow. Sad.

[duchez.livejournal.com]

It's one of the biggest regrets I've had, the "i will do it later" moment that becomes "oh, it's too late."

I love the poem.

[slipjig.livejournal.com]

Oh, no...