Deja Vu

Clearly my memory  has not  faltered just yet. In a recent trip to Half Price Books, I saw a copy of Gene McCarthy's Minnesota - Memories of a Native Son, a book I recall checking out of the Southwest High branch public library. We won't go into how long ago that was, but suffice to say it was not in this century.

​At a mere $2.99 I could not pass up this collection of poetry published By Winston Press in 1982.

I have to say that I recall holding in my  hands a copy of this very book like it was yesterday.  I also recall very clearly  the final piece in the book titled Memories of Hubert - A Politician Too Good to be Vice President.   What make this find so interesting  is going back to the time I would have read it, my interest in poetry would have been far more casual.  Motivation for checking this book out would have been more related to my early political interests at the time than poetry.  Oh, I was reading other poetry in this time period but  I was not a serious student of poetry nor was I  writing  anything  with serious intent.  I do recall reading  Daniel Berrigan  in this time period and a few others.

​Thinking  back on reading this book, I don't recall thinking the poetry was particularly  impressive. I was most intrigued by the fact that  a U.S. Senator, even a one time Presidential contender would take the time to pen poetry and that it would be published.
​This seems funny to me now, because I don't know on what basis I felt qualified in those days to determine how good or bad certain poetry was.

​So, I once again have a copy of the book. My own, that  won't  need to be returned.  My plan is to sit down and read this book again - obviously with many more years and many more life experiences between then and now.  We'll see what difference all these many years makes.

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