The Poet's Room

    We all start out so small, a microscopic egg in our mother's womb. Time, nourishment and love allow us to grow up. I wrote Spirit Dance eighteen years ago as Darlene and I were driving back to Wisconsin for the birth of the first Grandchild.       Here he is on his eighteenth birthday with Donkey. Donkey is a story in our relationship. As a very young boy sometimes we would babysit him. Frequently we would watch Shrek together. Donkey being one of the main characters for an early birthday he received Donkey as a present. Things of course changed as he grew up. After a few years of growth he decided he was going to let Donkey go live somewhere else. For sale at their garage sale Darlene decided we'd adopt Donkey. Of course Donkey being an extrovert and Darlene and I being introverts Donkey doesn't get out much.... just at Birthdays. Donkey would complain if he could really talk... but such is the life of a stuffed toy... he can't... so I usually do it fo...

    At Swan Pond for my evening walk, mesmerized by the sky I began taking a video when the phrase 'Cloud Walking' rose from the depths to manifest in consciousness.  Cloud Walking                                   Grounded on earth Eyes reach heavenward As setting sun Highlights ephemeral clouds Stretching over horizon's shores With orange, yellow, pink, red glows; Sight seeing ends Where instinct begins Transcending physical matter, To grow an illumination Beauty lovingly caresses Like golden tresses, Without any need  To fully comprehend!                                                                                (For Lee)     At S...

             The refrain for my song  " O.H.&H. R. H."  goes " Life ain't fair, and it, ain't fair it ain't fair."   Addictive compulsive diseases like alcoholism and drug dependency afflict many people. Cunning and baffling diseases denial is the dominant symptom. The person with the disease denies that they have a serious problem in spite of evidence to the contrary. Recovery only begins when denial ends.       T he term recovery generally refers to recovery from an addiction. But what exactly does that mean?  What was lost that needs to be recovered? To recover is to become more conscious of that creative energy source responsible for each of us and our amazing Universe. To learn to value and align ourselves within the context of that originating power.       As a poet I conceptualize that creative energy source as " The Power That Flows Through All Things ." In moments of satori i...

       The interrelatedness of all being can be seen in the bumble bees harvesting nectar from the blue asters. In the harvesting pollen sticks to the bee. The bee then flies to another blue aster where pollen rubs off onto that flower. That pollen fertilizes that flower so seed develops then matures to grow next years beautiful blue asters.     Nature is where I get into the moment, the eternal now. A meditation where the noise between my ears slows down frequently stops for a while. The video, "Take A Walk With Me!"   shares some of those moments.     Always curious we human critters investigate explore nearly everything. An observation at an abandoned farm led to the following poem!       The Ugly Fruit! On a September Saturday morning, At a former farm Now public access To the Sugar River, As two grandsons Get fishing tackle I walk over to The recently abandoned orchard Curious, why one tree Lacks those bright red...

Click for video:   Meditation  !        Truly not all that long ago, only native Americans lived in Wisconsin. Names of their villages  forgotten. The modern city built on the isthmus between Lake Mendota & Lake Monona we call Madison. The chain of Lakes fed by the Yahara River retains Native American legacy with the names; Mendota, Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa. An expression of reverence Native Americans created large earthen mounds in the form of animal/spirits surrounding the lakes. For them the Great Spirit infused everything: All the four legs, two legs, wings of the air and plants rooted in ground. Inclusive in their habits of  thought and speech they frequently began prayers with the invocation to All My Relatives. The chain of Lakes in Madison fed by the Yahara River has one anomaly; Lake Wingra which lies to the west of Lake Monona.  Created by many springs that cool water gathers to form Lake Wingra then overflows eastward i...

Sitting inside, I grow into my chair, Crossing the threshold, Outside, Along my every path, Wild flowers walk!  * September opens first with a cold snap followed by a long needed rain over several days; a steady soaking rain, at times so fine appearing as only mist on my glasses, at other times hard enough to encourage staying  under roof.  On Friday the heavens relent allow sunshine with a freshening breeze. Ground and vegetation remains thoroughly wet still I need a walk. Recalling that last year I’d discovered a local patch of nearby prairie I drive body and soul to nearby Anderson Farm County Park.  Being human is difficult. We have three aspects to our being: 1) body; 2) intellect; 3) spirit or soul. Some say four, but let’s keep it simple for now!  Our challenge to harmonize all three. Meditation can  facilitate that process.  In spiritual practice talking to the higher part of being is considered prayer.  Many terms exist to conceptualize t...

  This week while walking in my neighborhood I spotted a yard sign depicting a young black woman with an afro, with the message Black Lives Matter. Nearby stood a Little Free Library, a project done by a local girl scout troop. A page in the window explains these girl scouts created the Library “in response to our Nation’s issues with racism.” “This little Free Library is dedicated to providing you with books from diverse voices.” Thank You Neighbors!      I am Caucasian, of the white race, a definition  based on skin color. An obvious distinction only in comparison to other skin colors. Skin color associated with race, ranges from black to brown, to white to red with many subtle variations. In the United States before the European immigration the red skin peoples now referred to as Native American dominated the landscape. People have immigrated from all over the world to live and raise families here since that time.  Some came voluntarily, for opportunity ...