As folks waited for our Michael Perry Keynote Address (Saturday, May 7) to begin, we asked them to type a few lines on an old Smith-Corona typewriter, contributing to a collaborative poem. Please—enjoy the fruits of our labor!

On the Occasion of a Michael Perry Reading at the Library

Sunny Eau Claire Saturday, first signs of summer
Behold the child, by nature’s kindly law
The hosts offered cookies and ice cream; a bummer
But love for words is not a character flaw
But merely method of breath

The red sports car drives over by the library—LOVE!
The air is fresh, the books plentiful…perfect
Hugs between friends and new acquaintances made
Loving memories of the past to be resurrect
Lighting the literary flame
Hazy smoke from far away
Mingles in the breeze
Hope sparkling in the trees; we are one
The photo booth makes everyone smile