I recently received a surprise package at the post office and opened it to find a book of poetry titled Mindful Musings—a 109-page booklet with a very artistic cover authored by classmate Jerry Finkel. Drawing from the afterword section at the back of the book, I now use Jerry’s own words to describe his work: “My poetry is an attempt to communicate with you if you are willing to engage it with some degree of seriousness. If it causes a smile or even laughter, so much the better. If it causes sadness or reflection, it tells you something about yourself. If it causes confusion or consternation, you must re-read it again, but best some other day. If it is boring, skip it. It is my sincere wish that engaging these poems has been worthwhile and given you pleasure and food for thought.”

I also had an extensive exchange of emails with Ted Weymouth concerning the status of the Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble and this morphed into extensive historical notes dealing with “Great Issues.” I had been under the impression that the Barbary Coast band was defunct on the Dartmouth campus. I could not have been more wrong. Ted informs me that, “Today the ensemble explores the full spectrum of jazz and creative music by great artists such as Duke Ellington, Mary Lou Williams, and Charles Mingus.”

Now a bit of sad news. I received notice from the College of the passing of classmate Robert R. Slater. Today we follow the Barbary Coast jazz band as it plays a mournful tune and marches up Main Street. The ensemble then marches three times around the Green as we, the living, all bow our heads in silent tribute.

I close with the first stanza of my poem titled “Dreaming of Dartmouth Again.”

Oh Dartmouth, fond place of my dreams,

Here snow and green pine gently streams;

Where reality ends,

Mad illusion then blends,

Recollections retrace college themes.

—Joel D. Ash, P.O. Box 1733, Grantham, NH 03753; (603) 863-3360; jash_125@comcast.net