Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

Time for a street party! June 30, 2011

Filed under: Commentary — Shawn L. Bird @ 1:43 pm
Tags: , , , ,

I live a few blocks off the longest street in the world. One 7821 km long road, that connects our nation from sea to sea. It constantly amazes me how we are linked together through the Trans-Canada Highway. Whether you live in Newfoundland, Ontario, Saskatchewan or BC, it is rare if you have not travelled some distance on this road.  Thousands of us commute on it every day.

Highway One unravels in over seven thousand kilometres past oceans, lakes, trees, prairie  and mountains.   It is a ribbon that ties Canada together.  It is a symbol of Canadian unity.  Despite the diversity of the scenery that unfolds around it, the Trans-Canada Highway takes us from city to wilderness, from the suburbs to national parks.  It connect us together.

The TCH was an amazing feat to construct.  If you’ve been through the Rockies recently, you’ll see it is still producing amazing feats of impressive engineering.   Canadians and visitors alike are awed by the marvels of nature and man that span the length of this roadway.  No other nation can boast of it.  So let’s celebrate it!

Canada’s birthday is a perfect time to put barricades up at either end, so we can have a street party the entire length of the road.   Someone bring the hockey sticks for a game of shinny.  I’ll bring the red and white balloons.

 

choose a fighting spirit June 29, 2011

Filed under: Commentary,Pondering — Shawn L. Bird @ 2:25 pm
Tags: , ,

“Health, happiness and success depend upon the fighting spirit of each person. The big thing is not what happens to us in life – but what we do about what happens to us.”  ~George Allen

It’s all down to choices again, isn’t it?  We choose our attitude.  We choose whether something is an obstacle or a challenge.  We choose to find the alternate way of seeing things that  provides a solution to the problem, a way out of the situation.  We choose to be the masters of our own fates, or to float helplessly along in life, complaining.

 

why writers fail June 28, 2011

Filed under: Commentary,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:06 am
Tags: , ,

This is the week of re-posting interesting writing blogs I’ve come across recently.  Check out this insightful analysis of why authors fail from  Penny Sansevieri  of sellingbooks.com.  There are some good tips here.

http://www.sellingbooks.com/why-some-authors-fail/

 

A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing: What Works: Promo for Ebooks June 27, 2011

Filed under: Commentary,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:50 am
Tags: , , , ,

A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing: What Works: Promo for Ebooks.

Here is a fascinating  and thorough examination of promotion strategies and ebook publication by Joe Konrath

Konrath’s blog is well worth reading by anyone interested in writing or publication.  It is full of tips and interesting articles.  You could spend a lot of time wandering through here, and I suggest you do!

I was reading on Smashword.com today that Amazon is getting 1000 new e-titles a week.  52,000 e-book titles a year.  Wow.  Having your book stand out in that kind of crowd is going to take a bit of effort.  We need all the help we can get!

 

rain storm tanka June 26, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:30 am
Tags: , , , ,

Heavenly percussion

is punctuating

piano melodies

rising up stairs to

the rhythm of rain.

 

Confucius says… June 25, 2011

Filed under: Grace Awakening,Pondering — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:08 am
Tags: ,

Let a man be stimulated by poetry, established by the rules of propriety, and perfected by music.                      – Confucius

It makes you wonder if Confucius knew Ben, doesn’t it?

 

HA! June 24, 2011

Filed under: Commentary — Shawn L. Bird @ 5:38 pm
Tags: , ,

I love this kid’s delivery.

Can’t say I’m really fond of Walmart and the local attempt to develop land on a sensitve flood plain, but I love this ad. This kid is fantastic.

 

choice limerick

Filed under: Commentary — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:48 am
Tags: , , ,

He’s clueless why he always loses.
He shouts as he makes more excuses.
While he shrieks about fairness,
there’s no self-awareness,
That life comes from just what he chooses.

 

choosing a future June 23, 2011

Filed under: Commentary — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:12 am
Tags:

Stuff happens in life.

Sometimes the ramifications of some of our choices are not quite what we hoped.  New choices are needed.  Difficult choices.

So it is for the many teens who become parents.  Choosing to work through the challenges brings many options.  Some are easy.  Some are hard.  Usually the hardest ones are the the ones that bring the most reward.

We have to applaud those kids who take their responsibilities very seriously.  There are some very special  kids who take on parenthood.  They may not have intended to become parents so early, but they accept the job knowing that it is a life work that requires diligence,  sacrifice and difficult choices.  They adore their children and do what needs to be done to craft a future that will be good for both of them.  Balancing school and parenthood is not a road we would wish on any of our students, but those kids who do it well deserve some applause.  We are glad there are supports in the community to assist them to be the great parents and the strong students that they need to be.

So, congratulations (to my former student) Catherine on your graduation, and on the greater accomplishment of being such a great mom to Damien.  I am looking forward to watching you choosing your future, step by step.

 

flaming bridges June 22, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:58 am
Tags: , ,

March on
there is no going back
to the poverty of that place
the weakness of spirit
the negative helplessness
that grabs and pulls at rescuers

 like a frantic drowning man.

March on
to the sunrise over the hill
to the success that awaits
to the skilled craftsmen
No more wasted hours while poor work unfolded
and you bought things you didn’t need in kind charity.
No more frustration at the
self-imposed and self-declared uselessness.

March on
and shake the dust off the sandals.
♪ There will be poor always,
pathetically struggling ♪
You have done what you could
and now you are free

 to stomp over the bridge
march on.