a poem by Robert Rubino and Terry Jacobs celebrating Nellie Wong’s 91st Birthday
Nellie at Ninety-One
Four years ago we didn’t know
Nellie Wong.
Didn’t know this writer
of poetry lyrical and historical
gastronomical and familial
waterfalls of images falling upon the page
or pin-ball caroming in a voice steady strong.
Didn’t know this fighter
for social justice — for workers and immigrants
for feminism and for peace
this fighter against racism ageism capitalism.
Didn’t know this connoisseur
of food and music and movies.
And now we do. We know Nellie now.
Nothing short of amazing.
Through coincidence and luck
and unseen twists and turns of time and circumstance
and mutual acquaintances mutual interests
she’s our friend and we are hers.
Nothing short of amazing indeed.
Makes us want to smile and cry … tears of joy of course.
We wish this connection had waved its magic wand
ten years ago or twenty or thirty or forty or fifty
(wouldn’t it be something
if we had befriended Nellie at SF State in the 70s!)
But that’s being greedy and greed ain’t good
(despite what Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko said in Wall Street).
We know Nellie now.
And knowing Nellie now …
well … that’s a gift for which we’re grateful.
Happy birthday, Nellie, from Robert Rubino and Terry Jacobs
September 12, 2025