A Gentleman's Elegy

for Rick Bragg

A stature so rigid and tall
Topped off with a slanted cap
Pressed collar and scuffed shoes
Three inches missing from his pants
The dogs snapped at him in respect
As he walked across the dusty yard
With a walking stick in lieu of a cane
A nod to passersby
Tipping his cap to each lady
For that is what Gentlemen do
He never chewed tobacco
At the dinner table
He said grace every morning and night
The sun shone brighter for him
And the rain fell harder