A HUNDRED YEARS AND COUNTING
Old roll top just keeps on rollin’
My father’s mentor
sold him the ranch
gave his name to his first
born son (that’s me)
and left him this desk
More than a rancher
he kept his day job too
as municipal secretary
Taxes, foreclosures,
roads and bridges built
and all the books balanced
During the 20’s people paid a lot for horses
he’d have had nice cash in the cubbies
During the 30’s mostly dust
Once it became my father’s
Roll it open, count the receipts
Roll it open, pay the bills
Roll it open there’s the letter
your brother dead at war
Roll it closed – still dead
I roll it open now
Mister Fisher and my father
looking over my shoulder
Here’s something
from my six year old assistant
Look at all those colors
in Katherine’s new picture