RIC MASTEN

We lost Ric Masten last week. He lost his long battle with cancer at last.

You may remember me mentioning Ric a couple of months ago. Some of you may have gone to his site at that time, and discovered his delightful poems and drawings. For those who did not, I am going to print here a very moving poem that he wrote about his wife.


DEMENTIA

when I was 19
my parents went around the world
leaving
from the San Francisco marina on a freighter
with passenger accommodations
back in those days
when the gang plank had been raised
and the ship was ready to depart
the passengers
would line up at the rail looking down
throwing serpentine
colorful paper streamers
to friends and family on the pier below
we would hold tight to one end
while those we hold dear
held on to their end
of these
slender fragile ribbons
then slowly
almost imperceptibly
the ship began to move away
the paper connections
snapping
one by one
as the steamer headed out into the bay

after fifty five years together
my cancer is incurable
and your memory is fading
which makes me acutely aware
of time circling the drain
running out of the clock
wondering whether
the love of my life
will slip over the horizon
before I am forced to leave the dock


Ric has gone. He is survived by the love of his life. If you go to his poetry site, you will find that he wrote more about her, following this poem. I think you will enjoy his poems, as well as the drawings he did to accompanying them. I have no idea how much longer the site will remain, but of course, his work can be found in the library or the book store.