26 Comments
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Arjan Tupan's avatar

Delightful poem

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Jeff Hartzer's avatar

Such a buttery cracker!

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Magpie Mama's avatar

Greyhound travel is it's own culture, for sure! I wish the stations were better located and with more amenities...I'd use the service more often if they were!

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Indran Amirthanayagam's avatar

Love the biting line about taking up space as well as the wistful tone of this deceptively profound poem about fellowship

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Marcia Lovelace's avatar

"We Indians don’t have the land anymore but we can still take up space." YES!

3 Wise-Ass Men is also brilliant! Then there's the wonderful, paradoxical pun with the word Ritz. I love this one!

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Steve Lovelace's avatar

I've never ridden a Greyhound, only a Trailways. Nobody shared anything with me. Bummer. But I think Ritz crackers will be around forever.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

I've never been on a Trailways. And, yes, Ritz Forever!

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Eunice M. Flanders's avatar

I learn from you every (writing) time man! Just showed Smoke Signals to my students. I notice so much every time I watch it. So appreciate your work.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Eunice.

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Kerry Kirking's avatar

Good one, Sherman!a

I’m looking for material and ideas to begin teaching my sharp 3 1/2 year old pandemic-born granddaughter some truths about real Indians (“feathers, not dots” ;-) and am wary of a lot of the schlock that’s out there. Can’t find my oooold tapes of Ignace Williams teaching me way back when I was in high school. Doggne it.

Could you give me some suggestions?

Fond best wishes to you all.

Kerry Kirking

frkerry@comcast.net

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Kerry!!! So great to have you here, my friend. Let me think about this and I'll email you.

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yvonne's avatar

Funny how compadres can just strike up conversations and joke with each other comfortably knowing that to find one like themselves is a gift whether traveling on a greyhound bus sharing Ritz crackers or sitting on park bench eating saltines.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Yes!

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Kathryn Sabol's avatar

Just awesome!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Kathryn,

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RonMcF's avatar

Read it to Georgia & couldn't help laughing out loud pretty much all the way through!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

That makes me happy! I love writing and reading funny poems.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

love the line about taking up space! Wonderful

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Pamela Murphy's avatar

I was also stuck by this line-perfect <3

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thanks, Pamela!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thanks for noticing that! I was delighted when that turn of phrase popped into my head.

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Annie's avatar

I love it! I love your specific vivid pictures! I have ridden Greyhoubd buses many times and shared Ritz crackers... I never thought of the two together but maybe they were. Travelers meet in serendipitous ways and share, both their stories and their snacks.

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Alison Acheson's avatar

Love this. Who needs a camel when you have a greyhound--the closing line just blew me up! Who comes bearing Ritz. And Ritz and Ritz.

Thank you--

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Ritz and Ritz and Ritz indeed!

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Richard Palazzo's avatar

😊

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Nov 8, 2022Edited
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Sherman Alexie's avatar

That is a sweet story. I'm happy he woke you. It could be a very different memory otherwise.

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