Dr. Dille contemplates girls’ names
The following poem was read at President Dille’s funeral, May 31, 2014, by Rev. Mary Suomala Folkerds. He gave it to her this past year.
An Old Man Contemplates the Names of the Dassel-Cokato Girl Scouts
By Roland Dille, 2013
Tasha and Bria, Skyler and Ashleigh,
Hathaway, Lexie, Ashton, and Kelseigh,
Courtney, Kyline, Serena, and Tanna,
Trenda, Aleyah, Aspen, Breanna,
Michayla, MacKenzie, Camber, and Dawn.
But where have all the Hazels gone?
Elizabeth, Patty, Virginia, Jean,
Rosalie, Muriel, Mary, Irene.
You stood on the sidelines and watched us at play,
But we caroled together before Christmas Day.
Rosella and Marian, Jeanette and Elaine,
Evelyn, Audrey and Rose and Lorraine.
Your laughter was soft, our pleasures not much.
A concert in Dassel, a movie in Hutch.
The days were all sunny; the evenings all sweet,
As we sat in the park or walked down Main Street.
Todays were all brief; tomorrows seemed far,
And then, all too soon, we went off to war.
Ah, Lexie and Bria, Hazel, Lorraine,
Not all that’s important depends on a name.
It’s what we remember that keeps the past green,
What we have listened to, what was once seen.
Lewis Milberg had lovingly named
The cows whose milk was everywhere famed:
Gypsy, Shir, Fannie, Beauty. Rose, Mollie,
Lily and Lady, Nell, Pansy, and Dolley.
But country and village were both full of change,
And he auctioned the cows and leased out their range,
And set up a pump beside highway ten,
Selling gas to the travelling men.
Did Lewis, hearing a passing car,
Catch sometimes an echo from pastures far,
Of cowbells sounding on distant wealds,
Fading, fading in ghostly fields?