Thank you to Word Portland for inviting me to read at the next Word Portland event, April 1 – LFK – 188 State Street – 9pm. Sure, that’s after my bedtime but you only live once.
before the deluge
Let the music keep our spirits high.
Let the buildings keep our children dry.
– Jackson Browne
Photo: Prout’s Neck, ME., December 2016
Last night as I was sleeping
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that a spring was breaking
out in my heart.
I said: Along which secret aqueduct,
Oh water, are you coming to me,
water of a new life
that I have never drunk?
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that I had a beehive
here inside my heart.
And the golden bees
were making white combs
and sweet honey
from my old failures.
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that a fiery sun was giving
light inside my heart.
It was fiery because I felt
warmth as from a hearth,
and sun because it gave light
and brought tears to my eyes.
Last night as I slept,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that it was God I had
here inside my heart.
- Antonio Machado, translated by Robert Bly
understanding backward
Life must be lived forward, but it can only be understood backward.” – Soren Kierkegaard
once the storm is over
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. And you may not even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm is all about.” – Haruki Murakami 
“Don’t die til you
‘re dead.” – Mississippi John Hurt
Happy Birthday, Jack Kerouac – born March 12, 1922
“Don’t use the phone. People are never ready to answer it. Use poetry”.
all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
– Isaiah 55:10-13
Photo: Chama River, NM – September 2018
publication
I’m happy to say that a poem and some drawings of mine have been accepted for the March issue of High Shelf Press, which should be out this week.
https://www.highshelfpress.com/
Edge of Atlantic 