Jim Harrison
I miss Jim Harrison
not just his new poems and novels
he won’t write,
his blind, wandering left eye,
gargantuan appetite, his generosity–
He loved Mary Lou’s flowers,
sitting in our garden–
He’d never been to a racetrack
so I took him, taught him
how to read The Racing Form,
how to bet–we both won
a little that day–
He’d call me after midnight,
I could hear the ice clink
in his glass of Scotch
before the gravelly voice–
He’d never fail to mention
Mary Lou’s flowers in letters,
on the phone and when we met–
When I was in my twenties
he told me, “If you lived in New York
you’d already be a famous poet.”
Walking on his property near
the Arizona-Mexico border
he brushed away a rattlesnake
with his cane–“I don’t
shoot snakes any more,” he said
“unless I have to, like
writing poems.”
He died two years ago–
Mary Lou’s flowers are beautiful
this year, Jim, especially
the blue irises.-BARRY GIFFORD
John Evans met the author and poet Jim Harrison (1937-2016) about 37 years ago, before the publication of Warlock, and John met Barry Gifford about 30 years ago, and developed a friendship with both. Barry and John shared much respect for Jim’s work and formed a bond this way. Barry has shared this as yet unpublished poem with John to share with the Lemuria community. Both authors have been great friends of the store, and have enriched its shelves with their magnificent words.
Jim Harrison (L); Barry Gifford (R)
Jim Harrison wrote many novels, volumes of poetry, and collections of non-fiction, including his last works, The Big 7 and Dead Man’s Float. Barry Gifford has also written many novels, volumes of poetry, and collections of non-fiction, including his most recent work, The Cuban Club.
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