The name Tennyson looms large in the world of poetry. But I hadn’t read his poetry until recently, when I picked up a copy of “In Memoriam.” “In Memoriam” is a series of 131 poems (plus a prologue and epilogue) Tennyson wrote for his friend, Arthur Hallam. Hallam died suddenly at 22 from a cerebralContinueContinue reading “In Memoriam”
Tag Archives: grief
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”
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”
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”
Snow at Grandma’s
Right after I decided to share this poem, I realized it might raise an eyebrow to post a poem about snow as we’re heading into summer temperatures 🤨 But maybe this will help someone stay psychologically cool 😁 “Snow at Grandma’s” was part of my first book of poems, The Wind and the Shadows. SnowContinueContinue reading “Snow at Grandma’s”
Once More
April brings up a host of feelings for me. Warmer weather begins, which I love. Easter is often in April, infusing this month with the hope of Christ’s resurrection and the destruction of death. For now, death is still a reality we face, and April 2009 is when my dad died. Dad’s death has twoContinueContinue reading “Once More”
Cat Show Now Available!
As I type this, my cat Nilli is circling and fussing at me. Does she sense that my chapbook about cats, Cat Show, is now available on Amazon? Heck no. She’s reminding me that no one has set out her lunch, and she’s starving, possibly (probably) near death. OK, I’ve fed her. Now I canContinueContinue reading “Cat Show Now Available!”
The State of Mercury
Back in May, my poem, “The Vineyard,” was published in Heart of Flesh Literary Journal. Through Heart of Flesh’s editor, Veronica McDonald, I learned about chapbooks. A chapbook is a short book of poems (usually 20-40). Often, the poems touch a single theme. In the next few months, I plan to self-publish a chapbook calledContinueContinue reading “The State of Mercury”
A Wandering Minstrel 