58: The Blessing Way, 1970, by Tony Hillerman (1925–2008)
These Leaphorn books ensnared me—fast.
I read them one and all.
But have not read the new ones that
His daughter writes (the gall!).*
Tribal police—the Navajo—
The Southwest—murder there!
But Leaphorn—Chee—they solve the crimes
In bloody desert air.
I met him once—yes, Hillerman,
A bookstore signing date.**
I got to talk with him awhile—
Oh, such is fortune, fate.
I mourned to hear that he had died—
Oh, such a grievous loss.
Oh, no more Leaphorn! No more Chee!
How can I get across
How literary loss can be
As bad—or nearly so—
As actual death in this, “real” life?
I’m betting that you know!
*I don’t like reading series books written by others who pick up the
task when the original author has died.
**Barnes & Noble; Montrose, Ohio; June 5, 2004
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