Since 2020, I’ve tried to be more intentional about reading poetry, and I’ve filled more than a shelf with books of poems I’ve finished. Earlier this year, I decided to re-read some books of poetry. Rather than just reading through as I did the first time, I thought approaching these books with more thoughtful analysisContinueContinue reading “Song – Christina Rossetti”
Category Archives: Traditional poetry
Ribbons
My wife and I spent the weekend in a city. It doesn’t matter which one. We’re from a small town, so every city to me feels pre-apocalyptic, like someone pulled the thread that started civilization’s unraveling. That made me think of “Ribbons”, a poem which will be in my next book, A Song of Glass:ContinueContinue reading “Ribbons”
Sommelier
Last week I wasn’t able to post a poem because of a technical glitch happening (so I thought) with my blogging platform. It turns out the problem was with my word-processing app. Anyway, AI helped me troubleshoot and find a solution, so I am posting the sonnet I intended to post last week, “Sommelier.” ThisContinueContinue reading “Sommelier”
The Cat’s Meow
Lily is our 18 year old cat (which is pretty dang old for a cat). While she won’t live forever, we think there’s still a chance she might outlive all of us 😸 Most, if not all, of my books have cat poems. My future book, Above the Rain will be no exception, and willContinueContinue reading “The Cat’s Meow”
Silent Film
The writing process is a source of mystery. I’m constantly surprised by how inspiration comes, how ideas develop, and by the interplay of various elements: intuition, reason, structure, prayer, and serendipity. After years of trying my hand at creative pursuits, I feel more participant than master. To be sure, learning craft and improving skills areContinueContinue reading “Silent Film”
Finches
Birdsong has always caught the ear of the musician in me. I’m not the first. French composer Oliver Messiaen painstakingly translated a dozen or so birdsongs into musical notation, then composed a piece based on his research called, “Catalog of Birds”. The last few years, I’ve gotten more intentional about listening to birds, despite myContinueContinue reading “Finches”
In Memoriam CVI (106)
Last year, I became acquainted with Tennyson’s In Memoriam, a series of 131 poems he wrote for a close friend that died suddenly. These poems are full of beauty and striking imagery that uncovers the many faces of grief. I’ve read through In Memoriam twice but continue to keep a copy by my bed soContinueContinue reading “In Memoriam CVI (106)”
A Christmas Carol—Christina Rossetti
Adoration of the Shepherds by Gerard van Honthorst Christina Rossetti is a poet I became acquainted with in 2022…or so I thought. While reading her poems for the first time, I realized I had heard her poem “A Christmas Carol” set to music years before. “A Christmas Carol” is a meditation on how much ChristContinueContinue reading “A Christmas Carol—Christina Rossetti”
Remember
Well, I totally forgot to set up my blog post this week so I’m dashing off this quick post. Apropos of forgetting, I’m posting a haiku entitled “Remember,” which was in my third book, Shadow and Memory. RememberTo re-member, tore-collect and re-connect what time’s knife severed.
Conundrum
It’s been awhile—quite awhile—since I posted a haiku. As I’ve remarked before, I love haiku for their brief, impressionistic quality. “Conundrum” is a haiku that will be in my upcoming book, A Song of Glass. Incidentally, the title poem in A Song of Glass is also a haiku. Brief poems deserve brief introductions. So withoutContinueContinue reading “Conundrum”
