This week’s poem, “Rain Dance,” is a little different for me. Of all my poems, it is one of the very few that is self-consciously rhythmic. It also employs a fair amount of onomatopoeia: words whose sound mimics their meaning (like the way “buzz” buzzes when you say it). Besides employing the devices of rhythmContinueContinue reading “Rain Dance”
Category Archives: Traditional poetry
The Anonymity of Waiting Now Available
My fourth full-length book of poetry, The Anonymity of Waiting, is now available on Amazon in paperback and e-book versions 😊 I hope folks will check it out and order one. Heck, order a few and give poetry for Christmas 😉🎅 The Anonymity of WaitingThe longer I wait in this pub,the more I become partContinueContinue reading “The Anonymity of Waiting Now Available”
Trees Beg as the Wind
I am (hopefully) a week away from self-publishing my fourth full-length book, The Anonymity of Waiting. Self-publishing is always a process. When you are author, editor, cover-designer, and everything else, there’s a lot to consider, keep an eye on, and many decisions to make. And work! Then there are the unexpected things, like: when IContinueContinue reading “Trees Beg as the Wind”
Her Face
Last weekend I started the process of self-publishing my next book, The Anonymity of Waiting. This will be my fourth full-length book of poems. Like my other books, it includes a mix of formal and free verse and explores all sides of human experience—from the comic to the grief-stricken. Below is a haiku that willContinueContinue reading “Her Face”
The Practical Poet’s Guide to Love
Over the years, I’ve written my wife poems for anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, and just because. Today’s poem (which will be in my upcoming book, The Anonymity of Waiting) was written around the time of our 25th anniversary. It didn’t end up being an anniversary gift because I felt it lacked the gravitas equal to suchContinueContinue reading “The Practical Poet’s Guide to Love”
Dear Cat
Our orange tabby cat, Nilli, loves me. About the only time she’s calm is when she’s on my lap, purring, kneading, and (Lord knows why) licking my right arm. The *right* one, mind you, not the left. The anxiety meds we mix with her cat food take the edge off, but she’s still wound prettyContinueContinue reading “Dear Cat”
Rules for the Dance—Mary Oliver
Previously, I posted about Mary Oliver’s book, A Poetry Handbook. I read it twice, and also purchased her book Rules for the Dance: A Handbook for Writing and Reading Metrical Verse. This book, focused on more traditional forms of poetry, is just as excellent; since it’s short, I’m on my second read through. Just asContinueContinue reading “Rules for the Dance—Mary Oliver”
Break Time…
It’s time to take some time off from blogging. Friday, I got my COVID vaccine. Friday night, my arm got sore, but this was nothing new. As Saturday morning wore on, my temp hit 102.4 and stayed there until late afternoon (at which time it dropped to 101.0). I am in a feverish brain fogContinueContinue reading “Break Time…”
A Lazy, Windy Day
Today’s poem is a bit of whimsical apathy or apathetic whimsy, take your pick; it’s on the lighter side for sure. It’s also a sonnet, which is a celebrity among poetic forms (albeit one from an earlier generation who has aged well…Sean Connery? Audrey Hepburn? Again, your choice). When writing formal poetry, I gravitate toContinueContinue reading “A Lazy, Windy Day”
Useless
This week, I started working on a new luc bat poem. Luc bat is a Vietnamese form of poetry I learned about a few years ago. Since I’ve got luc bat on the brain, I decided to post a luc bat poem from my second book, Event Horizon, entitled “Useless.” UselessI’m glad some people careforContinueContinue reading “Useless”
A Wandering Minstrel 