All of us (even the introverts) are curious about other people. It might not be far off the mark to say we’re intensely curious about other people. While that curiosity is reigned in by some serious socialization, it doesn’t go away. It’s one of those unspoken things we share but don’t talk about. Poetry canContinueContinue reading “Checking Out”
Category Archives: Free verse
Hive
Probably six years ago, and much to my surprise, I was diagnosed with anxiety. While it’s normal to worry now and then, anxiety became pervasive enough that it disrupted my personal and work life. But with a little counseling and a lot of prayer, I have learned to manage it much better. Like most otherContinueContinue reading “Hive”
Soaked Through
It has been raining off and on where I live. We’ve had a couple lightning storms, which were exciting, but mostly it’s been wet. With rain on the brain, I thought I’d post a poem I wrote during another rainy season entitled, “Soaked Through.” This poem was part of my third collection, Shadow and Memory.ContinueContinue reading “Soaked Through”
Purpose
Sunday is my usual day to post to A Wandering Minstrel. Typically, I write my post Saturday and schedule it for Sunday. Well, yesterday was SUPER busy, and I didn’t realize til today was almost gone that I hadn’t posted yet. So, I’m shooting from the hip, last minute 🤠 Today’s poem is not oneContinueContinue reading “Purpose”
This Land
In other posts, I’ve talked about poems that take years to finish. Today’s poem, “This Land,” is one I started writing in the mid ‘90s but didn’t finish until 2020. Over the decades, it went through many rewrites, none of which I was really happy with until the last one. “This Land” was always meantContinueContinue reading “This Land”
Denial
This week’s poem, “Denial”, will be in my upcoming book The Anonymity of Waiting. I don’t want to say much about it because I’m curious to see what readers think it’s about. In some degree, poetry is always about balancing transparency with ambiguity. Poems fall all along this continuum, with some being explicit and othersContinueContinue reading “Denial”
Happy Birthday, USA
On July 4th, 1776, the second Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. This document announced our independence from England and marked the birth of The United States of America. Since Americans celebrated the birth of our country on Thursday last week, I thought I’d share a poem I wrote about July 4thContinueContinue reading “Happy Birthday, USA”
Long in the Tooth
Almost every day, my kids tell me I’m old, gray, or decrepit. My son is fond of saying I have dementia if I have the slightest memory lapse, while my daughter comments on my “old man hobbies” because I use a birding app. Aging is real and unavoidable. Below is a somewhat whimsical reflection onContinueContinue reading “Long in the Tooth”
Ron
My day job is in social services. Through my job, I get to know people in all kinds of situations. Most of them have health problems and need caregivers. Some are financially well off, some are supported and insured by the state. I work with people who have mental health issues, substance use issues, and…justContinueContinue reading “Ron”
Empty Hands
Change is something we all live with. It’s inevitable, and we react to it in our own ways. If I’m honest, my reaction is often grief, or, at the very least, reflection. The longer I live, the more change I go through. For me, that means a lot of grief or reflection, even over thingsContinueContinue reading “Empty Hands”
A Wandering Minstrel 