It's Groundhog Day, So Let Me Repeat Myself

Jeff—Saturday

Today being Groundhog Day in the US (a tradition brought to Pennsylvania in the 1700s from Europe), if Punxsatawney Phil sees his shadow we’re in for six more weeks of winter, something none of us in the throes of the Polar Vortex wishes to imagine. That led me to search through my old blog posts for what I was certain was a piece I’d done before about that cute little critter.

But I didn’t find it. Or rather I stopped looking when I came across a parody I’d written six years ago to the day based upon Robert Frost’s most famous poem, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.  I couldn’t believe how on point what I wrote is for today’s troubles, even though it long preceded what we’re now experiencing.

Does that mean we’re always in troubling times of one form or another?  Or does it mean something else? I don’t know, I just wrote it. You’ll have to tell me what it means.

So, in the hope that Robert Frost forgives me, here we go—

Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Whose words these are I think I know.

My mind is on to pillage though;

To find something for blogging clear

Some thoughts that matter, not for show. 

My blogmates all must think it queer

To see a poem this time here

With so much news of fraud and fake,

And daily tales of more to fear.

 

But now I think it’s time to wake

And trust there might be some mistake.

To hope somewhere beyond the sweep

There will be peace for all God’s sake.

 

We know what’s out there’s dark and deep.

And if we choose we all could weep,

But I prefer to pause to reap,

The promises men swore to keep.

*****

As a footnote, permit me to offer this additional little ditty.

Of all the words Frost did compose.

The ones that hit it on the nose,

For how to live amid the whirl,

Are those his tombstone did unfurl:

“I had a lover’s quarrel with the world.”

Not a bad philosophy for all that’s about us these days.

—Jeff

*****

Here's Jeff’s current tour schedule for THE MYKONOS MOB (coming April 2^nd from Poisoned Pen Press—an imprint of Sourcebooks):

2019

March 2, 4:00 PM

Tucson, AZ

TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS – Student Union, Tucson Room

Panelist “Masters of the Police Procedural,” with Tim Johnston and Peter Leonard, moderated by Anne Segal.

March 3, 10:00 AM

Tucson, AZ

TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS – Integrated Learning Center, Room 120

Panelist “CSI Publishers Row,” with Michael McGarrity and Martin Walker, moderated by Cara Black.

March 3, 1:00 PM

Tucson, AZ

TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS – Koffler, Room 218

Moderating “A Legal Thriller Conversation” with Phillip Margolin and Harriet Tyce

March 3, 2:15 PM

Tucson, AZ

TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS

Author Signing at CLUES UNLIMITED exhibition venue

March 28-31

Vancouver BC, Canada

LEFT COAST CRIME –Hyatt Regency Vancouver

Panel Schedule to be announced in late-February

April 2, 7:00 PM

Seattle, WA

THIRD PLACE BOOKS (Lake Forest Park)

Author Speaking and Signing

April 6, 3:00 PM

San Francisco, CA

BOOK PASSAGE (Ferry Building-Embarcadero)

Author Speaking and Signing

April 7, 3:00 PM

Orange, CA

BOOK CARNIVAL              

Author Speaking and Signing

April 10, 7 PM

Pasadena, CA

VROMAN’S (East Colorado)

Author Speaking and Signing

April 12, 7 PM

Dallas, TX

Interabang Books (Preston Oaks)

Author Speaking and Signing

April 16, 7:00 PM

Scottsdale, AZ

POISONED PEN BOOKSTORE

Author Speaking and Signing

April 24, 6:30 PM

Houston, TX

MURDER BY THE BOOK

Author Speaking and Signing

April 26, 7:00 PM

Denver, CO

TATTERED COVER

Author Speaking and Signing

May 1, 6:30 PM

New York, NY

MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP

Author Speaking and Signing

May 9, 5:00 PM

BRISTOL, UK

CRIMEFEST—Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel

Panelist on “Nobody Would Believe it if You Wrote it: Fake News, Post-Truth and Changing Words,” with Jørn Lier Horst, William Shaw, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, moderated by Paul E. Hardisty

May 10, 5:10 PM

BRISTOL, UK

CRIMEFEST—Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel

Panelist on “Sunshine Noir,” with Paul Hardisty,  Barbara Nadel, Robert Wilson, moderated by Michael Stanley

October 31-November 3

DALLAS, TX

BOUCHERCON 2019---Hyatt Regency Dallas

Panel Schedule Yet to be Announced