Sunny CA
Ronnie was a close poet friend of my father's in the 1980's and came to the apt on the lower east side often to visit.
His wife, Martha Kaplan, at the time is an artist and her and I corresponded during my college days.
Not sure what Ronnie is doing now. My father was happy to find two people that were such admirers of his work and wanted to listen to his words.
2 Storeys
poems by
Ronnie Kaplan
prologue
dreams
immediately forgotten
then I don't know
I got up
went to the window
it was misted over
I wiped it
with my shirtsleeve
the Spring
now I remember
we'd driven
to the cemetery
imaging to find
my parents there
the day had become
hot & sticky
tho we were perhaps a mile or so
from the ocean
I sat on a nearby bench
strange no trees are planted
only shrubbery
in front
of many
of the graves
veils
rain beating a path
to the sewer
on the corner
by mid-morning
the trains
are running
behind schedule
a trucks
loaded with corn
stand in a line
stretching for blocks
2 storeys
on his hands & knees
rolling pennies
under the bed
--where did it go--
--what's back there--
your parents are passed away
you've no brother or sister
go my child
over the hill
to the woodland
the wildflowers
in its midst
no one
has seen me
here
& no one
speaks
anymore
about it
save
here or there
poorly
& God knows
foolishly
His wife, Martha Kaplan, at the time is an artist and her and I corresponded during my college days.
Not sure what Ronnie is doing now. My father was happy to find two people that were such admirers of his work and wanted to listen to his words.
2 Storeys
poems by
Ronnie Kaplan
prologue
dreams
immediately forgotten
then I don't know
I got up
went to the window
it was misted over
I wiped it
with my shirtsleeve
the Spring
now I remember
we'd driven
to the cemetery
imaging to find
my parents there
the day had become
hot & sticky
tho we were perhaps a mile or so
from the ocean
I sat on a nearby bench
strange no trees are planted
only shrubbery
in front
of many
of the graves
veils
rain beating a path
to the sewer
on the corner
by mid-morning
the trains
are running
behind schedule
a trucks
loaded with corn
stand in a line
stretching for blocks
2 storeys
on his hands & knees
rolling pennies
under the bed
--where did it go--
--what's back there--
your parents are passed away
you've no brother or sister
go my child
over the hill
to the woodland
the wildflowers
in its midst
no one
has seen me
here
& no one
speaks
anymore
about it
save
here or there
poorly
& God knows
foolishly
do you know if Ron Kaplan grew up in the HOA? Had some brothers, also there?
ReplyDeletethe HOA was just into Harlem I guess about 138 th Street..
or maybe his older siblings/cousins?
Hi Ed,
ReplyDeleteI don't think so - trying to recall but they did live in Indiana.
Could not find anything on the internet on Ronnie.
CW
hello there! I am martha kaplans sister, Stacy Rae Lake..you can look me up on facebook. I was searching for Ronnie too and came upon this site. I remember my sister and ex brother in law reading your poems. They were divorced about 1994. my sister is an accomplished artist in Sullivan Indiana. I know she would love to hear from you!!! Ronnie got a job with Eli Lily in Indiana, thats all I know...he has no brothers or sisters....email me at Bluestarhealer@aol.com.
ReplyDelete