Boston Poet Laureate Sam Cornish has written a tribute to poet Harris Gardner.  Gardner, a longtime poetry activist, and founder of the poetry organization Tapestry of Voices, is starting a new poetry series in Somerville “The First and Last Word Series,” with Somerville poet and publisher Gloria Mindock. The series will be launched at the Arts Armory Jan 18, 2010 at 6:30 P.M.

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The Good Man
For Harris Gardner

He happens to be

a gentle man

that’s the way he is

taking care

of his mother

she can’t say thank you

but she tries Harris

is her son

doing some real

estate  and substitute

teaching   he’s the good

man

of poetry

with his shopping bags

of paperbacks

today he does

the food market

in the North End

his  books fresh

from yard sales

He gets along

(like the misery

people of old)

with his proud

gray ‘fro

call him with love

and respect   Einstein

he calls his mother

lives

with her   beside her

watches over her

in sleep the son

is a rumpled soul

a poet of angels   Dante and

Milton sing in

his writing   I sense and hard

work

and so is

he in the service

of the poem

in the shadow

of other poets

saw him in the Goodwill

leafing

through the jackets

of broad shouldered

men the jackets     he wears

with a turtle neck

are bigger than he is

like a son

in his father’s

clothing

he has become another

man out  of his time

shake his hand

check your fingers

at the door   some say

he looks like Einstein

making fun            putting the joke

on an honest face   drinking coffee

with him is better

than sitting with the regulars

at the bar

– Sam Cornish

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