The long mesquite bean pods
hanging down from the branches like memories
of Clyfford Still─that were green the other
day─are yellow to tan in our yard now. But why
Clyfford Still? I was looking
at a yellow streak in one of his paintings
and I admit it may have been wiser
to leave Clyfford Still
out of our mesquites
with their drying bean pods usually
in clusters, but I should mention that you told me
about 41 years ago that Still was one of your
favorite painters and that’s one
of the reasons why I think of him sometimes
with more affection than I would’ve I’m sure if
I’d never met you, and I don’t
like considering my life without you.
,
John Levy
.