[Jim Ramsey]

Hi Richard,

I am going to give this credit for having a lot of thinking and good writing within, but also a demerit or two for making fun of working people, drunks, and old codgers. I think it would appeal to more readers if it good naturedly teased its inhabitants rather than dismissing them and their values. But hey, it's your poem. As a slightly more specific nit, I think the "squirrel" motif following the earlier reference to "nuthouse" is all right in concept but not quite as successfully carried out as you want it to be. Don't be disappointed by your lack of responses to date. Things here slow down in December, many spherians ignore light verse or tend to denounce it, and many also ignore long poems. [I see I cross posted with Nemo. You could have no better ally on the sphere. His opinion carries weight. I'll leave my critique here as is though. I thought it would be the first.]

All the best,
Jim