Poets salute a friend of poetry …

Mike Peich is the cofounder (along with Dana Gioia) of the West Chester University Poetry Conference, which is still, I am pretty sure, the largest annual poetry conference in the U.S. Mike has just had a birthday, and poets around the land have been sending him poetic greetings. Mike is also the founder of Aralia Press.

We shall start with Dana:

FOR MICHAEL PEICH ON HIS 70th BIRTHDAY

      May 18, 2014

Gnarliest of trees, this apple now

Sports withered fruit along its bough,

Drooping sideways, sere and gaunt—

Hardly the symbol that you want.

Now of your threescore years and ten,

Seventy will not come again,

And take from seventy springs that sum . . .

Well, on this subject, let’s play dumb.

But since you’re now on borrowed time,

you’re spending someone else’s dime,

So hang around the bars and gab,

And let your heirs pick up the tab.

Dana Gioia

And here are some more:

Gnarly? Withered? Drooping? Sere?

No, No, my dear!

Let no such imagery from Gioia

Even begin to annoy ya!

Trust, instead, to Rhina,

Whose eyesight’s keener,

Though it’s an old codger’s:

She says you’re gorgeous!

                                             Rhina Espaillat

Mike Peich
Doesn't much like
A bad Cabernet or weak Pinot —
And he's not afraid to tell you so.

                                             

                                              David Rothman

Had not Mike helped design our book

the thing wouldn't have garnered a second look

But there is no "had not," you see

and--what's more--he offered advice for free

Now that I know he's on borrowed time,

spending someone else's dime,
I wish he'd spend mine!

So Pinot, Cabernet, you name the type

I'll send it with thanks near o'er ripe

Seventy times seven bottles to give

Hoping seventy times seven eternities you'll live

                                              Joshua Wren 

Mike Peich still has his fastball at his age 
and throws that inside heat like Satchel Paige.
Our formal phenom is still on his game;
the Phillies' closer cannot say the same.

                                               A. M. Juster

Mike Peich

Took a vast hike

Down to the wine cellar.

He is quite the feller.

Peich, Mike?

What's not to like?

You tellin' me

The bastard's seventy?

Dianne's old man

Made a big plan.

So what's so baffling

About God's laughling?

Old man Peich

Made a lucky strike.

I know it by dint

Of I seen it in print.

                                             David Mason

More will be posted as the day continues …