The
lampposts
.
.
are
invisible
.
.
in
this mist
.
.
and
so the
.
.
haloed
bulbs,
.
.
floating,
glow:
.
.
UFOs
above
.
.
the
road.
.
.
.
poem- Ode to the @ShawFireLog December 23, 2013
Oh beautious fire
Seeking to break
from the TV screen
and to devour
the drapes forever
out of reach.
I feel your pseudo-warmth
and hear your rich
crackling call.
Festive fire
Turned and fed
by the flannel
garbed arm,
you will not harm,
shoot cinders far,
force risk by axe
splitting logs, or
lugging them inside.
My floors are clean
but lack the lingering
scent of cold pine.
Yet still, you remind me
of fires from Christmases past
and fires yet to be.
You are quite festive enough
for me.
(This poem appeared in Runo Päivässä ~ Poem a Day. Turenki, Finland: Kantarelli Publishing. 2014)
Quote- Stephen King on hesitation December 22, 2013
Quotes from Stephen King 11-22-63
The scholars’ greatest weakness: calling hesitation research ( 282)
This is true for writers, too. I have notes from a workshop by C. C. Humphreys about this. The first book, you want to get everything researched, and you read and read, study and copy notes. He says, quit researching, and get writing. Get the first draft, then go back and focus your research to fix and fill. If you don’t have a purpose to you research, it can go on forever. If you are researching for something specific, you find and move on.
quote- Stephen King December 21, 2013
Quote from Stephen King is his novel 11-22-63
In my life as a teacher, I used to hammer away at the idea of simplicity. In both fiction and nonfiction, there’s only one question and one answer. What happened? the reader asks. This is what happened, and writer responds. This…and this…and this, too. Keep it simple. It’s the only sure way home. (p. 250)
Ah. So true. Brevity is an art.
poem- break December 20, 2013
crack in the routine
split from the every day
divided from ordinary
time for a break
poem- tree love
Your fingers grow
twisted like mangled branches.
Your hands grow knobbly like old roots.
You groan and stretch, astonished at the youth
of your mind and agonized at the aging of your body.
But I see the same man whose brain enthrals
like a tall, dependable
trunk.
whose
body
captivates
like a
canopy
of new
green.
I played among branches and roots as a child,
and I still love climbing trees.
quote- George R. R. Martin on sleep December 19, 2013
Here I am again, planning on an early night, and before you know it, it’s midnight. Tyrion Lannister has it right in Clash of Kings. He says,
Sleep is good.
Books are better.
~George R. R. Martin
poem- Christmas lights December 18, 2013
My Christmas lights
are stars reflected
in a black lake
My Christmas lights
are the twinkle
in laughing eyes
My Christmas lights
are glistening in
your smile.
quote- Stephen King on books December 17, 2013
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
― Stephen King, On Writing
poem- then December 16, 2013
A note to us
back then:
These days are precious;
you will savour your
memories of camaraderie
at the end of the road,
from the distance of
two decades.
Warm wood fires,
and warmer friendships,
Mothers and small children
budding careers,
and many dreams
were nurtured there
at the end of the road.
World travels,
Publication,
Independence
All dreams you barely
dare to dream
come true
in time.
Still, that time
at the end of the road
with faith and friendship,
warm hearts,
is where our daring
began.
.
For Claudia (and Heather and Francine and the rest of the Woods Road gang, actual and honourary) as I remember cookie exchanges, coffee, tea, cooking lessons, painting, laughter, prayer, and bats. 🙂
Shawn L. Bird 