A One-Year Anniversary – of Sorts

Let me start by saying thank you to all of you for making this past year so absolutely incredible!  The last 12 months on this blog have far surpassed anything I could have ever imagined and none of it would have happened without all of you!

Early in 2014, I put together a blog with the intention of writing a journal of my experiences as a writer covering everything from submissions and rejections (that could have taken a lot of typing) to poetry magazines and journals to writers from whom I drew inspiration.  It just laid there for months.

In July of 2014, I decided it was time to just revamp the whole thing and start posting my poetry.  I put up the first post on July 30th, 2014 to very limited fanfare.

To my surprise, I started seeing some activity:

• My first like came on that first post on day one from The Poet’s Billow
• My first follower came on the first day with Raluca Stoica doing the honors
• My first comment came from JustALuther on 8/5/14 on a post entitled “One Final Tear”

Now, here I am one year, 180 posts, 9209 followers, 6221 comments, 21,843 likes, and countless wonderful interactions with readers later.

Without question, the best and most rewarding part has been interacting with all of you in the comments.  Getting your feedback, discussing interesting topics, learning that we all have things in common – all of it – has been an absolute pleasure!

Again, thank you all for making this first year so enjoyable and such a treat!  I’m already looking forward to Year Two!!

Love No One

I don’t blame you

there are no hard feelings

the truth may be a different matter

though I am capable of love

I am not able to love anyone

the way that I love you

I had reserved everything

held it all back for you

it’s not possible to give

that or anything to you now

leaving me with only one choice:

.

because no one else is you

I will love no one

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Wallflower

who was once young

is now aging

body once pristine

is now weathered

eyes once clear

are losing their light

steps that were quick

have become unsteady

this rock, this touchstone

fading into wallflower

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The Lump

time and again I’m told

if I put garbage in I can

only expect garbage out

yet my mind craves a

certain amount of truth

mixed with some form

of entertainment

I must either feed the

monster or spend many

sleepless nights listening

to its many complaints

of boredom and misuse

I’m attempting a high-wire

act with this lump that

nature has suspended

there right above my neck

give me facts, figures,

reason, logic yes but

I’m afraid at some point

the lump’s appetite

for garbage will return

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The Power of Words

if I were able to turn

these words onto their

deadly sharp edge

to cut into flesh

destroying all you know

if I could lay asunder

your every belief

all you hold dear

turning your life

upside down

if I had the ability

using only language

to bring down the

entire system

laying it bare for

everyone to see

if simply speaking

or writing could

bring about destruction

would you hate me

and would I abuse

this new-found power?

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Roots

the rain doesn’t give a

damn

the sun takes not a

thought

the winds are rather

uncaring

they are doing their

jobs

while you refuse to take

root

while you remain in stunted

growth

nature’s play will go on

without you

and there you will be:

wilted and dead

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Worship

a foil-crafted, framed picture,

two crossed pieces of lumber,

gold-encrusted necklaces,

large, black stones from the sky,

science fiction writers,

and perhaps strangest of all –

cattle

.

men worship many things

but fail to give thanks for

their greatest possession

and the thing they should

take the time to worship –

life itself

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Melody

when all assails

and falls beyond

the purview of

reason or sanity

when the day’s

course has run

into distress

when there is more

than you can bear

let me be

the melody

to lift you

above it all

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Benefits of Youth

lovely smile

fat free

no cellulite

porcelain skin

bronze tan

bikini body

she’s young. she’s flawless

staring at all of us here

on her social media page

today 20 and untouched

by the ravages of age and life

that look of having lived

absent from her eyes

some tomorrow we’ll

revisit this young beauty

to find that she has lost

all the benefits of youth

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The Affair

afterglow or the promise

that there would be another

rendezvous, another consummation

had all clouded my mind

and reduced my judgment

to an infinitesimal proportion

of where it once was

I was trapped by her

wiles and my own stupidity

it was not the affair that

I managed to escape

it was me

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