Featured on Poetic Asides. Thank you Robert Brewer!

Go to Poetic Asides to read an interview Robert did with me about Sea Trails and my writing. I really appreciate this, Robert!

Getting sick from a doc visit.

I keep forgetting that sick people go to see doctors and sick people are contagious lol. I had to see my internist last Wednesday about a few problems. Started with a scratchy throat on Saturday which got worse and yes, today am losing my voice and feel swimmy. A cold has taken me. I'd gone for a while without catching anything.

Maybe we ought to have virus free bubbles to step into when we go??

Hope this leaves soon! Being sick all of the time is hard enough. To be sicker is harder.

Pris

How about some blues for a Sunday morning?

Rolling Stones, John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton...can it get any better?

Paternity, Scott Owens' new book is wonderful!

Paternity by Scott Owens


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm entranced with Scott Owens’ latest book, Paternity. After three readings, my admiration only grew. The core subject of his book is his relationship with his daughter, Sawyer, but poems are also included about his stepsons as well as his father’s bad parenting. I’m not a parent, but I don’t need to be in order to enjoy both the expert craftsmanship of these poems as well as their magic. It’s both a book of the love of a father for his daughter and at the same time, a type of atonement for his own father’s failings. By being a better father, Owens walks away from the ghosts of his past into a better now of his own creation.

From On The Days I Am Not My Father

I don’t yell. I don’t hold inside
the day’s supply of frustrations.
My hands stay open all day.
I don’t wake tired and sore,
dazed from senseless, panicking
dreams. On the days I am not
my father I hold my son
when he cries, let him touch my face
without flinching…


A poet friend, after reading this book, wrote me that he would assign Paternity as a textbook for poetry students were it up to him. I completely agree. Every word, every phrase, every break is carefully thought out. And the poems sing, just as Owens describes singing to Sawyer on his cell phone to the amusement of passers-by.

This passage from The Word for What Only 4-Year Olds Can See is moving:

Today my daughter made up a word,
effuctress, to explain why I couldn’t see
the rainbow bird outside the window.
Effuctress, she says, are things
that can only be seen by 4-year olds.

I would recommend this book to parents and non-parents, lovers of good poetry. The first group will identify. The latter will be inspired to be better people. Both will aspire to become better poets.

From The Hours 7 PM

I no longer bathe with you.
No Gary Snyder, I grow self-conscious
as you fixate on differences,
but I still hold on to this time
of washing things away.

Scott Owens has published five poetry collections before Paternity and is editor of The Wild Goose Review. His work has received numerous awards and two Pushcart nominations. Paternity was published by and can be purchased at Main Street Rag.

View all my reviews >>

Robert H. Keller, M.D. now has a page on Facebook!

Dr. Keller worked with me with my ME/CFS for over 8 years. While seeing him, I experienced improvement for the first time. His death last year came as both a shock and loss. He died of a blood disease that attacks bodily organs. It's generally not reversable, but if anyone could have beat it, he could. He was dedicated and a brilliant doctor.

Many people still enter my blog with his name as the search word. Links on facebook are iffy, but I'll list that. If the link doesn't work, search for him there under this exact search name: Robert H. Keller, M.D.

Here's the link to try:
Robert H.Keller, M.D.

His daughter started the page just today. I hope she doesn't mind, but I copied one of the photos she posted here on my blog, too.

Very evocative photograpy/videos/architecture...Alastair Cook

I'm thoroughly enjoying the work of Scottish photographer Alastair Cook. To visit his site go to www.alastaircook.com

Music Day! Sweet Dreams Are Made of This