Reference

I get them every so often. Sometimes I make 
similar requests—for a letter of reference, 

with reference coming from the Latin referentia— 
the act of referring to some matter or to someone 

for consideration. The equivalent, perhaps, 
of a neighbor saying Yes I know that family,

they've lived on this block since the '80s; 
and  wasn't it that child who knocked over 

my flowerpots, practicing skateboard flips?  
I recall advice handed out by other letter-

writers: if you can neither damn nor praise, 
offer something ambiguous like I can't 

recommend this person highly enough, or No
person would be better for the job.