Happy birthday, Joe!
X.J. Kennedy – a.k.a. Joe Kennedy – turns 83 today. I fished out a 1999 email from him so that I could send off a quick birthday greeting before the day expired on the East Coast. And I received a quick email reply within an hour or so. Good to know he’s online and quick on the draw.
Birthdays are, of course, a reminder of time. What better and more fitting way to celebrate than with one of my favorite poems by him:
And yes, Joe, it’s true. “Huh? What happened?” I’m at that point now.
The Purpose of Time is to Prevent Everything from Happening at Once
Suppose your life a folded telescope
Durationless, collapsed in just a flash
As from your mother’s womb you, bawling, drop
Into a nursing home. Suppose you crash
Your car, your marriage – toddler laying waste
A field of daisies, schoolkid, zit-faced teen
With lover zipping up your pants in haste
Hearing your parents’ tread downstairs – all one.
Einstein was right. That would be too intense.
You need a chance to preen, to give a dull
Recital before an indifferent audience
Equally slow in jeering you and clapping.
Time takes its time unraveling. But, still,
You’ll wonder when your life ends: Huh? What happened?
Hello. I am trying to reach XJ Kennedy to inquire about a permission request for McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Would you have an email address for him? Thanks for your help.
Hello Nancy, I’ve forwarded your email to Joe. Hope he gets back to you quickly!
Much thanks!