If
you hadn’t heard Carl Kasell passed away today at the age of 84. I didn’t know
him personally, but it sometimes felt like it as he seemed so personable on the
airwaves. This ode is for him.
Wait,
Wait, Don’t Tell Me!
When
you are known for your voice,
You
don’t have a choice,
But
to be a guy in radio
Though
you wanted to be
On
the airwaves free
Someone
once said
you
could be an actor
You
did theatre,
but
felt compact there
Your
voice was warm honey
on
a soft Saturday morning scone
that
is where you made money
and
you were at home
I
always wanted your voice
As
a choice on my phone
I
dialed in but never did win
A time
where you’d pin
Me
down with some joke
I’d
probably have choked
To
know it was you
When
you retired
You
were so admired
But
we wanted you to stay!
I
didn’t know it was because
The
thing you loved went away
Your
wit, your humor,
It
was rumored
You
had lost
I
didn’t know the cost
That
your brain was faded
Became
something hated
Because
Alzheimer’s made it cave
A
landslide from the inside
The
realization made me cry
For
your joy and delight
Extinguished
by such night!
I
couldn’t grasp
Imagining
your gasps
Of
losing the sounds of words
People’s
faces flying from you like birds
Who
look down from branches so high
Your
eyes couldn’t spy
To
pry names or places
Or
where you’d met
Our
oasis is the radio!
You
were recorded
We’ll
never be bored with
Knowing
we can meet you there
As
none can compare
You
sometimes laid us bare
Consider
a castle for a king
Carl,
your death stings
Wait,
wait, don’t tell me…
No
more answering machines
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