JENNINE

Just what is a Fellmer? — Please tell us
It’s a person who fellms . . . Well, hey, fellas

If that is the case
Jennine’s in first place —

Her fellming’s so good we’re all jealous

She’s a Fellmer, all right — we agree
But she’s also the fellmed, as we see

And the process of fellming?
It’s quite overwhelming —

Jennine, it turns out, is all three

When Fellmer, fellmed, fellming are seated
Each in the other — Samhita’d

That self-referral
Creates quite a girl,

And to that “quite a girl” we’re treated

She of the bright, flashing eyes —
Her wit can delight and surprise

But her verve and vivacity
Can hide her sagacity —

If she’s witty, she also is wise

If she’s wise, then she also is warm —
Interpersonal skills in top form —

The smile, the glow,
The friendly hello,

And for sure loads of fun in the dorm

If she’s warm, she can also be wild —
Seriously unserious, this child

She’s cool, she’s hip,
She’s a gas, she’s a trip —

Call her up — you’ll be glad that you dialed

You’ll never completely control her —
At heart she’s a true rock ‘n’ roller

Jennine’s the quintessence
Of sweet effevescence —

Jennine is our campus Un-Cola

Un-Cola — yeah, that’s what she is
Sweet-tart, with a fine, bracing fizz

Whatever your troubles
They dissolve in bright bubbles —

This Ms. is the best in the biz

The Weekend
One day came a chance invitation
“Come along for a weekend vacation —

New York for two days —
Private jet ride both ways” —

Jennine showed, like, no hesitation

“Two days back home — pretty nice
Stromboli’s* — I’ll get a big slice”

She packed in a zip
Then left for the trip . . . .

That pizza sure came with a price

She basically never came back —
Her chart had some kind of attack —

For more than two years
She was, it appears,

On some otherworldly track

The bankers, the high-power meetings
The banquets, the greetings and seatings

The people of note
Entertained on the boat —

And Jennine was there, lighting and leading

Ah, those evenings when sirens would sing!
Those people whom fortune would bring

Calls from the Master
Who wants it all, faster —

And lowering Coke by a string**

One night, she’s like, hey, time to chill
Cranks the music way up — around “thrill”

Gets out the eats,
The goodies, the treats

Sets the mouth button on “fill”

The beat from the music’s, like, hauling
The food from her mouth almost falling

Great party — alone!
Hey, wait — that’s the phone?

Yes — and Maharishi is calling

‘Twas the weekend she’ll always recall
One to remember — and all

For a slice of Stromboli’s
In the Holy of Holies —

However life’s sliced, it’s a ball

The Vehicle
She drove — well, a sort of a car
Took her near — but forget about far

And when you got out
Clothes left no doubt —

It was gasoline fumes in a jar

Something waaaay wrong with the choke
“Get it fixed,” I said. “Really — no joke.”

Jennine only sighed —
“I’ve already tried” —

Good thing her riders don’t smoke

But fulfillment of wishes was near
As was made quite abundantly clear

When the man of her dreams —
No — the van of her dreams —

NO — the CAR of her dreams arrived here

What kind of car would she drive?
A thing absolutely alive

So whenever you spot it
You’re thrilled that she got it —

You look to give someone high five

This car is a lot like Jennine
Cool — and a hip shade of green

High fun and low fuel
Four wheels on a jewel

A high tech and high touch machine

Like Jennine, it’s a creature with class
Dashing — and not without sass

It’s got style, it’s got flash
It’s got perk and panache

And it burns only sipfuls of gas

The designers did not miss a trick
The gearshift? A dashboard joystick

All things compute:
Press a button to boot —

Amazing, its grace — it’s so slick

Think of the trips she’ll be taking
The fundraising calls she’ll be making

Climb in, close the door
It’s do less, accomp more —

It charges up even when braking!

The Velocity
She drives as she speaks — namely fast
She’s a high-verve-and-velocity blast

Fasten your belt
And watch as rocks melt

And Kali Yug fades in the past

Just watch her — it soon becomes clear
Jennine has one speed and one gear:

Full tilt and flat out
Full bore — and no doubt:

She always can get there from here

Herself into things she just throws —
Till it’s finished, she goes and she goes

Once she gets started
It’s always wholehearted —

It’s the only way that she knows

Need a banquet? Jennine’s like, no prob
A website? She jumps at the job

Indian fair?
She’s already there —

She excels at the hob and the knob

How long did she spend on the yearbook?
Don’t ask — you’ll get a severe look

From soliciting bids
To those camera-shy kids —

Hold that phone — it’s a dazzling and dear book

The Source
Whence comes her derring-do drive?
The energy, the life, the alive?

The vim and the vigor?
How does it figure?

Her answer? She flies “forty-five”

My friends, that’s three fourths of an hour
Here is the source of her power

The power she stirs
With that hopping of hers —

Bliss bubbles up in a shower

Showering on those all around her
This hopper, this leaper and bounder —

Shining and showering
Flowering, towering —

And see? It’s come back and crowned her

When it comes to the knowledge, she’s passionate
She’s nothing if not a big splash in it

Dynamic devotion
A tidal wave ocean —

Even if there’s not any cash in it

[For all of the strengths that we credit her
Now Jennine has a competitor:

For the earliest bedtime
First pillow-‘neath-head time

So fatigue is not ever a predator]

She’s Atma with Big Apple flavor
Brahm with Stromboli’s savor

Unmoved, she’s moving
Ungrooved, she’s grooving —

Jennine, please do us a favor

Keep on keeping on as you do
Keep that bliss just pumping on through

With all your good graces
Keep these smiles on our faces

Never go out of our view

We watch as your high beams*** are flashing —
Wherever you’re darting or dashing —

Inner light shining out
And all roundabout —

Waves of pure Being just splashing

May you walk through life’s woods with no fear
Invincible, perfectly clear

Hearty and healthy
Happy and wealthy —

May this be your very best year

So come all together, pell-mellmer
Start ringing the victory bellmer

She’s hale and hearty
The life of the party —

We applaud our dear, great Jennine Fellmer

June 7, 2009

* Stromboli’s is a small pizzeria on St. Mark’s Place in New York City — legendarily Jennine’s favorite.

**Jane was working with Raja Bob and Maureen Wynne in New York City and lived in a hotel room exactly above theirs. Late one evening, when Raja Wynne desperately wanted a Coke and was fresh out of his supply, he called Jennine, who happened to have one. She tied it to a string and lowered it to him over the balcony.

*** My term for Jennine’s eyes.