Report:

I read this this morning to the poetry session at our church.

I might just put down here the way I introduced it:

"About a month ago a great and much-loved man died, named John Hartford. He said he saw himself mainly as a Mississippi river-boat pilot, but the world knew him as a fine country and traditional musician and singer, songwriter and poet.

"When I saw this poem I jumped on it, because it expresses a thought I've mused on for many years."

The poem was very well received. I have to confess I choked up just a little bit on the introduction.

Dave Oesterreich