1001
from the first 3 parts
of my new book.
1002
The village of Holcomb
1003
stands on
the high wheat plains
of western Kansas,
1004
a lonesome area
that other Kansans
call 'out there.'
1005
Until one morning
in mid-November, 1959,
1006
few Americans,
in fact, few Kansans,
had ever heard of Holcomb.
1007
Like the waters
of the Arkansas river,
1008
like the motorists
on the highway,
1009
exceptional happenings
never sTOPped there.
1010
Perry Smith's voice
was both gentle and prim1.
1011
A voice that, though soft,
1012
manufactured
each sound exactly,
1013
ejected it like a smoke ring
issuing from
a parson's mouth.
1014
[Clanking]
1015
The 4 coffins,
which quite filled
1016
the small,
flower-crowded parlor2
1017
were to be sealed
at the funeral services,
1018
very understandably,
1019
for the effect
was disquieting3.
1020
Nancy wore her dress
of cherry-red velvet,
