Huckleberries Tuesday:

I was surprised to see Sandy Emerson and his wife, Jeanne, at The Well-Read Moose’s recent celebration of National Poetry Month.

I didn’t realize the former Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce manager was into poetry – that is, until I learned he was a direct descendant of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Yeah, the famous one. But more on that in a minute.

The Emersons sat in the front row listening to Washington Poet Laureate Tod Marshall and longtime Montana poet Roger Dunsmore read their works, as well as poems from “The Bard of Sherman Avenue: Poems by Tom Wobker.” I also read some of Tom’s poems to the audience of 40 to 50 – and recounted stories of my association with him.

Afterward, Sandy told me that Ralph Waldo Emerson was his grandfather. “The famous one?” I responded, amazed. “Yes,” Sandy said with a devilish gleam in his eye. “He was the biggest chicken farmer in west central, Wash.” Seems grandfather “RW” ran the largest chicken and egg-producing farm in the Chehalis, Washington, area. He was mentioned several times in poultry magazines back in the day.

And, yes, he was named after famous 19th-century poet/essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Full column here.

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