I am grateful for the natural wonders in my life,
animate and inanimate, past and present.
Happy Thanksgiving
and thanks for stopping by.
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Thursday, November 26, 2015
Happy Thanksgiving
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
The Other Side
The Other Side
How long did
it take to
build this wall,
to make it
so solid,
to make it
so tall?
What will it
take to bring
it down,
to turn our
lives around,
to bring us
together?
Do you build walls? What kind?
This poem was inspired by one of the early prompts in the 2015 Poem A Day Chapbook Challenge: united and/or divided.
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Reliving History
Reliving History
The ancient storyteller
uses a lyre to help
him pass on the truth.
Calls to the muses
whenever he is confused.
Proclaims the songs too hard,
but continues in his role as bard.
Recites, revises, relives as long as
history repeats itself.
Does history repeat itself? Can we change that?
Links
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Everything Seems the Same
Everything Seems the Same
The sun rises
at the usual time.
Leaves lie
on the ground.
The wind blows
them around.
The rain falls.
Drops tap
on the roof.
A crow
scavenges
in the street.
Squirrels run
up and down
the trees.
The neighbor's
dog barks.
Everything
seems the same
but nothing is.
Links
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Turn on the Lights
Turn on the Lights
How do you
turn on the lights?
Your stage is
the canvas.
You portray
the actors with
brush and paint.
How do you
captivate the
audience,
shine the
spotlight in
the right place?
Make us stop,
examine and
applaud, not
caring that
so much is
still in the dark.
Where do you place the spotlight? How do you draw the audience in?
Links
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
To the Author
To the Author
I am submerged
in the words.
Surrounded
by your choice
of nouns, towns,
sights and sounds.
The characters
you created; the
stories you related.
No more will come.
You have left
all you could.
Every time
I read them,
I am immersed
in your love of words.
I wrote this poem as part of Robert Lee Brewer's 2015 November PAD Chapbook Challenge. The prompt was submerged.
Links
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Once Upon a Sailboat
Once Upon a Sailboat
I was once
upon a sailboat
when the weather
turned so fast
I had to face the fear
that this sail
might be my last.
The river changed
from glass to swells,
the sky from blue to gray.
The steady breeze
became great gusts.
The sun simply
went away.
We came about
and headed back,
our progress
made in spurts.
Forward, capsize,
right the boat--
we reached the dock,
relieved, unhurt.
I have always
loved the water
and I always will,
but I never forget
a storm may form
when all seems
bright and still.
I wrote this poem for Robert Lee Brewer's 2015 November PAD Chapbook Challenge. The prompt was to take the phrase, Once Upon a (blank), replace the blank and use the completed phrase as the title of the poem. What is your "Once Upon a (blank)" poem?
Links
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Monday, November 2, 2015
Celebration
 |
| Mother Nature went heavy on the blue today. |
Celebration
The fireworks are popping
a little out of season
but for good reason.
They celebrate
a goal achieved through
determination, resilience
and camaraderie.
The pops continue
as end of day turns
into new morning.
On any other night,
we might resent
a disturbance at
such an hour.
Tonight, we
surrender to the noise.
I'm posting a little early because of today's blue sky and the freshness of last night's World Series victory by the Kansas City Royals. Surrender is today's prompt for Robert Lee Brewer's 2015 November PAD Chapbook Challenge. I have a feeling any prompt Robert gave today would have ended up in a poem about the Royals.
Links
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
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