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Arrival: One Or Only?
I awoke from the red
scrawling my feckless eyes
unable bludgeonings
infancy again
alone and fearless is sight
without recollection
adrift within illerate dreams
of a former alive
revived from life or death
dressed to be dressed
arrested, blessed, oppressed
with a rising and falling chest
there is some point
between the two hales
that isn’t in
and isn’t ex
when the lungs are quiet
why it happens
is called the mystery of life
until it is solved
nobody leaves the room
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 MickeyRose Anthony (Hawley), Jim Azar, Cindy Azar, Mike Kessler |
| From Alma Anthony Nemrava
We are all richer for having known Jim Azar. His tender, all-embracing love helped me to hope for some nobility in my own humanity. I never knew him to do a mean thing. If he had any fault, it was over-writing. Language, even poetry, falls short of what his big generous soul gallantly tried to communicate to us. I have gathered it up; the sweetness. the exaggeration, the profound image of his falling on his knees in the cemetery, and I hold it all fast in my heart.
Weeping, Alma Anthony Nemrava |
From MickeyRose Anthony (Hawley)
Prince Jim, I just had to tell you one last time, that I love you. I’ll see you on the other side. You will know me, and I will know you, without a doubt. Until then, I will hold you in my heart, my beloved soul brother. With perpetual love, I am your MickeyRose |
From Kasey Gittleman
today, I had to say goodbye, now I know it’s not a lie, it’s not supposed to end this way, the silence is deafening me. Did the angels sing, when they came to stay, were the colors as brilliant as I always thought they would be and would you save a place for me?
Kasey |
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From Mike Brannon
On my last visit to Washington in April of this year, my family spent a day with Jim A. and his wonderful family. It was the second time that our families had the opportunity to spend time together and we did the usual tourist stuff in the capital.
When we reached the Jefferson Memorial, there was a tribute to Jefferson going on that was to last an hour. As a result, the monument was closed during that time period. After the passage of 90 minutes, the supposed dignitaries were still milling around the steps while hundreds of citizens were waiting in the hot sun for the re-opening of the monument.
At that point, Jim A. began to shout “Hey, get those people out of there! I am a citizen of the United States and I demand that my monument be cleared immediately”. Television cameras turned towards Jim and his wife attempted to quietly usher him away. Jim persisted “Thomas Jefferson would be appalled at you people blocking the citizens of this union from exercising their rights in a free republic! This is a civil protest and I demand that you clear away from my monument!”
Although the police approached Jim, the presence of the television cameras kept them at bay and a crowd began to form around Jim. At that point an amazing thing occurred…….dignataries were quickly ushered away from the monument steps and the waiting citizens were allowed immediate access to Mr. Jefferson!
Jim smiled proudly as we had our photos taken at the top of the monument steps. That is how I will always remember my best friend…..howling against the injustices of the world and making others stronger and more aware by his own example. I will eternally feel a great loss over the absence of Jim Azar, but I will always be grateful for the many things that I would have never had without him. Thank-you Jim for not going easily into the night…….
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From Roger Davies
Dear Jim:
There is a richness in the friendships born in childhood that does not diminish with the passing of time.
Our adolesence was spent the on the football field. You were Carl Eller, I was Jim Brown. It was spent at 3:00 am across the chessboard; you… the risk-taker Spassky/Karpov, I the analytic Fischer. Your risks were often your undoing.
We both tried to sing and act… we weren’t very good but we did have fun didn’t we Henry Higgins? Didn’t we MacDuff? Didn’t we…
Our days were spent at your mother’s dinner table learning to eat exotic foods that I love still today. It was your dog “King,” the old Ford, sleep-overs on the bahama beds, Aunt Rose’s coffee, research papers for the senior class, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Dawn’s birthday falling on mine, and encouraging words when a girl turned you down over the phone. And oh… your stories made me smile.
We didn’t change much, did we my friend? I remained the analytic and you the risk taker until the end. And there was the exchange of encouraging words. The stories. The renewal of two young boy’s fantasies for the future. Hold my place at the chess table, Mr Azar. en passant refuses to acknowledge checkmate.
Pickering |
From Gary MendelsonI have to say I looked up into the sky just the other day after Jim’s death and saw that one more star is dancing…
…we will sure miss your kind and gentle spirit.
Sleep with the angels.
Love and light… GaryFrom Joan Anthony FreemanRecollection of childhood friends became blurred over the years. But Jim |
From Caron Conway de Salazar… JeffR and BruceS joined us later. We toasted the gentle Bear of a man with the soul of a Poet, and felt Jim’s spirit around us. My deepest, heartfelt condolences to Jim’s many loved ones. I did not know him as well as I would have liked to, but he touched my life in such a profound way. Jim’s honesty, humor, sensitivity and courage are an inspiration. Thank-you, Jim, for my renewed appreciation of Life and its many wondrous gifts. The believer believes: ‘Tis a far better place for which he leaves. This is for everyone out there who is hurting tonight:”UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN” Don’t want to say good-bye,/
But it’s not your choice, I know./
That doesn’t make it easier;/
I’ll miss you more than you could ever know./
And it’s hurting me already/
To know you won’t be here/
To share my schemes, my fears, my dreams,/
To wipe away my tears./
But don’t think that I’ll forget you/
After you’re gone./
Even after life has ended,/
Love burns strong./
And farewell is not forever;/
No, this is not the end./
Somewhere along that lonely journey,/
I’ll be seeing you again./
And till then, my memories will keep me warm,/
My memories of you, my friend./
I can’t hold you in my arms,/
But I’ll hold you in my heart till then./
Until we meet again. . .
Peace and love to all, Caron |
Diane Sherman MaierI knew Jim Azar’s name growing up because he was a friend of Steves. I would hear funny stories that Steve would tell all of us at our dinner table. When the reunion idea first came about, people starting going into chat rooms and one night Jim and I were in the same room. I don’t remember who else was there. We were having so much fun with our wacked sences of humor and we continued to meet and chat a few more times. I knew something was up when he just disappeared from the net. Of course the reunion responsibilities had taken over my life, so I just shrugged my shoulders. When I saw him at the reunion, the first thing I asked him was where he had been. Being my usual self, I told him that I had missed him online and that we would have to get back to that down the road. When he responded his voice was very hoarse. I knew something was wrong. I sqeezed his hand and he looked at me with those, well you know, those eyes. I feel really lucky that I got to spend some online time with him and that I got to hug him often at the reunion. I feel, as I always do, sad that he is not with us, his wife and daughter, his really close friends. But I do believe that he is now part of something so so great. It is only sad for us, because we don’t get to have him here as we know him. But contrary to others beliefs, I know he is in an awsome place where all his poetry comes together. I will think of Jim just the way he would want me to, and I will smile. |
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