Bill Campana Then & Now

A bit shy of 17 years ago I did this portrait of Bill Campana;

Here are the words of the triple-acrostic poem:

BILL CAMP ANA

BLUFF, & stand-up comical, & full of manic Manna

It’s a wonder he’s still local — catch him if you can

Laudably SELF-AMPLIFIED: you WILL hear from this man

Las Vegas at the Palace or perhaps the Tropicana

..

I was 54 then. I am now 71, soon to become 72. Today I did this:

Here are the words of the double-acrostic poem:

FUNNIEST MAN ALIVE

Fastest wit of us & them

Undeterred by raw dilemma

Nifty beard & acid pen

Needs no compass nor antenna

If/Then/Else on even keel

Edgy as a blade of steel — I

Savor his raw P.O.V

Then scorn the morn’s abyss I see

..

Between the two portraits, Mr. Cpana has published about half a dozen books and performed his hilarious poetry about half a thousand times. Long may he astound!