1956 at John Muir High School in Pasadena

NOSTALGIA IS USUALLY THE COLOR OF SEPIA,
SHADES OF BROWN WITH AN OCCASIONAL BLUSH OF PINK.
TIME ITSELF, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN,
THE FOCUS OF ATTENTION.
ITS CONTENT, LIKE THE GRAIN OF WEATHERED WOOD,
SMOOTH AND DULL,
A SOFT LANDING FOR THE MIND.

SUCH COLORING WON'T DO FOR THE CIRQUE de MUIR
AS LA MOTTE'S HIGH "C"S AND PIPKIN'S RHYTHMIC IMAGINATION
NOW TOOK FORM IN THE CASUAL EXUBERANCE OF GENUINE FRIENDSHIP.
ONLY JACKSON POLLOCK COULD PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE TONES:
PATCHES OF PURPLE,
STREAKS OF RED,
SPLASHES OF YELLOW,
LONG ARCS OF COOL BLUE.

NO, NOSTALGIA AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE,
BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ANY COMPLAINTS.

-- Mark Helbling - September 2006