Cross Cultures

for Howard Stein on his recognition day, February 18, 1998.

By Rob Hamm.

"20 years of teaching and they'll put you on the day shift..."

Cross culture.

From the shtetl to the plains in 3 generations

Is a very great change, though the pace has been glacial

From culturing vegetables, to culturing patients

(with a method first used on groups ethnic or racial).

Cross culture.

Hanging out in Oklahoma City, the little big town,

With weekly treks to Enid to ease that worried frown.

Enid, where their idea of a good time is to drink ice water

at the kitchen table, doing duty with the fly swatter.

Cross culture.

Our daily grind, our thrice daily coffee, and we experience a cross culture

of tension and jiggling inside, of betrayals softly sung,

of walking the fine line under the eye of the vulture

who's waiting to pick at the mistakes of other people's young.

Cross culture.

"But why can't we, our town, our state, officially celebrate the symbol

of our Lord Jesus who died for us all on the cross? But

let the others fit in with us, they are nimble!

And the One Way has room in its heart" -- and its gut.