Dateline: Cloquet, Minnesota. Site of the Cloquet Class of ’66 Reunion
The crowd was large and none too rockus. Read Pat’s take on it here:
We, the Cloquet High School Class of 1966.
Before I attended 
my fiftieth Cloquet High School
class of 1966 reunion,
I wondered aloud who I might see there.
My brother-in-law told me
“All you’re going to see is old people.”
He was right.
That’s who l saw,
old people, old friends, old loves
Old folks I knew or didn’t know 
loved, or didn’t love,
who brought tears to my eyes,
or flashing, sharp momentary memories to my mind,
as we recalled our days together
so very, very long ago.
We’ve lived the most part of our lives already,
we old folks.
built our dreams
copulated long, long lines of babies,
and babies of babies.
Fought our wars.
Buried our beloved.
Tonight we old folks
trade worn photos of 
Billy and Sally, and
whoever that is standing there
in the middle.
We lined up in long ragged rows
to get our picture taken
by some kid with a camera,
promised immortality in the image.
We ate hearty, laughed loud,
danced a bit.
celebrated our age
our great fortune
our past and present,
future, future perfect.
We congratulated each other
at having managed to reach this age
and our freedom, once getting here
retired.
Our joints ache, our minds slip,
we nap too much and whine
about all those kids piling up below us
We are mostly happy,
mostly satisfied with the way 
we’ve all turned out
We, the Cloquet High School Class of 1966.
jollymore 