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: loss
Grief Is
Grief is familiar to any of us who have been around for more than five minutes. But it is also one of the most complex things we experience. The many variables involved make it so: different causes, personalities, social norms, religious (or non-religious) beliefs, the time of day, and what you had for lunch canContinueContinue reading “Grief Is”
Empty Hands
Well, this post could be entitled “Empty Head” because I forgot to post this morning as usual 😆 I am also posting from my phone as our power is out (wifi is down!) Oh well. Below is a selection from my newest book, The Anonymity of Waiting. It is a meditation on change and lossContinueContinue reading “Empty Hands”
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”
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”
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”
Elements
When I was in college, I took a poetry class. Looking back, I learned so much in that class; my writing changed a lot afterward. That said, I was skeptical of many things at first. The professor’s philosophy about poetry differed from mine at the time. But as I tried the things I was hearing,ContinueContinue reading “Elements”
Published Haiku!
In a previous post, I mentioned one of my haiku would appear in the August edition of the journal, Better than Starbucks. Well, August is here, and my haiku has been published 😊. To date, this is my third published poem. If you’d like to check out my haiku online, you can read it here.ContinueContinue reading “Published Haiku!”
A Wandering Minstrel 