by [Publisher’s Note: The last Marshall Jamison poem we published here in Boles Blogs was — Paul’s Wife — on June 15, 2000. Marshall died September 2, 2003 at the age of 85. We still massively miss him. Boles Blogs author Steve Gaines — who worked with Marshall in educational television in Nebraska — recently found the following poem Marshall wrote to celebrate Steve’s retirement from the network. Steve was kind enough to email us Marshall’s original, handwritten, poem — which we are overjoyed to present to you today: The first new Marshall Jamison poem published here in 13 years; and a decade after his death.]
“Alert to All Stations From U.S. Marshall, Florida”
The report that the notorious I.G. Gains has
left Florida for Nebraska is not, we repeat,
not true! Ill Gotten Gains is a stranger to
Nebraska! This is a brief tale of Steve Gaines,
our longtime friend.
Alas, it’s sadly true, no argument, there’s
nothing at all to gainsay!
Our talented golden voiced, Steve Gaines
is on his way to going and staying away.
Secure, steady and always ready to lend a hand
where and when broadcast knowledge is needed
and in demand.
We’ll miss Steve’s authority in gentle voice
and wise advice
(My wife says ‘he’s very nice’)
And how much he cares counts with us
who share his dedication to the
network and the station.
He’s raised his voice for over a score
of happy, joyous years and more.
His glorious tones and intelligence keen
have added distinction, whether seen or
unseen, on the Nebraska television scene.
Farewell, sweet prince!
Marshall/Steve/The World —
What a fantastic find! It is such a human rush to publish another Marshall poem after all these years!
I thought I’d published all his “retirement” poems for NETV workers, but Steve just proved I have not! There must be more out there for the divining! SMILE!
Just how special is that …………….. Thank you Steve for sharing with us and thank you David for publishing.
I’m replying for everyone:
YES! Thrilled! I was a magical moment in email from Steve this morning. That doesn’t happen often! Steve even scanned the letter for me. Perfect!
There are so many ways to appreciate this poem. I love the way that it looks on the page and the way that it reads as well. It’s really beautiful.
I agree. The way these NETV retirement poems would work is Marshall would send me the handwritten version and then I would type it up for original publication in Go Inside and then USPS mail him a printed version on nice paper that he would sign and send to the retiree.
Sometimes, he’d get short notice on a retirement and would have to write something quick and I didn’t get to print it out for him. When that happened, Marshall would mail the final handwritten draft and then he would send me an early draft version he’d fix and finish enough that I could read it to type it up for publication.
You’re seeing the raw writing and publication process here in this poem! SMILE!
I saved all of Marshall’s original, handwritten, poems and his handwritten letters to me. All in hand and on paper!
This is truly amazing. I’m so glad we had the opportunity to read this poem. I especially like the picture and how beautifully well kept it is. Usually, things like this get tossed to the side and when they’re seen again they’re are ripped, torn, or have been stained. Thanks for sharing and publishing.
You’re right about paper getting lost, Brielle. I’m a “bridge generation” from paper and pen and typewriter into the electronic world of nefarious bits and bytes.
Today, there is no paper trail. Only multiple “e-drafts” that indicate nothing of the revision and thinking process. We’ve long lost the beauty of handwritten script, too — or, the ugliness of it, if you’re talking about trying to decipher what I’ve written out by hand. SMILE!
How great to keep his memory alive in this way– not only reading a “new” poem long after his passing, but seeing the original written copy of it. Thanks for posting it.
It’s definitely a trip back into a different time, Emily! It brought back a lot of transcribing memories for me! SMILE!