In The Quiet

self-imposed stillness
journeys provide clarity
acceptance of life

**NOTE – I researched the image a bit, wanting to know if it was real or a Photoshop creation, and stumbled upon the artist’s statement…

Person in dark cloak stands in glowing orange sandstone canyon

Life in the desert is a teacher. It shows that beauty can live in silence. Every grain of sand carries a story of patience. You survive not by fighting the heat, but by flowing with it. The emptiness is not loneliness; it’s clarity. Here, there are no distractions, only truth. You learn to value every drop, every breath, every shadow. In the desert, you understand that strength is quiet. And that even in the harshest place, light always finds a way. Subscribe to see more from this trip: https://www.youtube.com/@LASLAVA.

Thanks, Sadje! Appreciate learning more about him. He’s quite an interesting, reflective, and talented character. Very inspiring! :)

Til We Meet Again

Redux

Inspired by Free Verse Revolution

far-away friend
i’m crying
in preparation
for our next
goodbye

Originally published 4/10/2019 on I Write Her.

Places

adventures await
rise up to the occasion
lessons on the way

Glad to be back again! I will share more in a few days. :)

Escaping Reality

in awe, i tread lightly
among the tall and stable structures
majestic yet unusual
a testament to man’s creativity
as i imagine ancient worlds
these ruins transport me to another life

For more information about the structure, visit this page – The Artic Henge.

Kansas Day Trip

First stop: Mushroom Rock State Park. The sun was shining, and I enjoyed driving through places I’d never been to. The temperature was about 80 degrees, and it was just gorgeous! Heading that way, I realized that I only had about a quarter tank of gas. No problem! I’ll get it at my first stop, I said to myself. Until the route had to change because the road I was supposed to take was closed. So, I went further west to the next road, and I thought I would loop back further up. Well, that was 20 additional minutes of driving, and the fuel needle was getting lower and lower.

Surprise! There was no gas station because this Rock Park was in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, I found one about 10 miles away. And thankfully, I still had some gas left. The city I ended up in was Kanopolis, and guess what? The gas station was full-service! My car left that city cleaner than when I left my house. AND I didn’t have to pump the gas. lol

Next stop: Cawker City and the largest Ball of Twine. What can I say? Not the funnest thing to see, but hey, it’s the biggest ball of twine. So it was interesting for that reason alone.

Last stop: Lebanon, KS – Geographic center of the United States of America. I loved the idea of putting my feet down on the spot that puts me dead center of the country. I’m weird. Wouldn’t want it any other way. :)

So that’s how I spent my Monday. What did you do?

Come Meet Me In Seattle!

Do I have any readers living in and around Seattle, WA? Mark your calendars! April 12, 2025, I will be present from 6 pm to 7 pm at Ada’s Bookstore, 425 15th Ave E, and would LOVE to meet and get to know you! This evening will allow me to meet with local poetry lovers, speak about my writing journey, read some of my poetry, talk about the books I’ve published, and talk at greater length about my involvement and goals for The Short of It.

For those who attend and have purchased my books, please bring your book(s), and I will be happy to autograph them for you!

I look forward to seeing everybody in there!

Wanderlust

Inspired by What do you see #270

the desire for travel
hits once again
the bags are packed
all my necessities onboard
new people, places, and histories beckon
amazing adventures await me

Are We There Yet?

Redux

faaa

trinixy.ru

beautiful white snow
deceiving
in the dark night

icy and cold
chilled to the bone
layers, way too many

your world is sunny
rather visit there
wanting to thaw out

beautiful white sand
inviting
in the bright day

oh, do let me come stay with you!

Originally posted and Inspired by Hélène Vaillant – What Do You See 1/22/19

Going Light

Inspired by What do you see #253

all cases are schlepped
bygone days of traveling
now we minimize

New Destinations

hurry up
hustle
to stop and go
and be stopped by slow walkers
one gate to another gate
one more leg of this journey

passing a thousand conversations
a cacophony of noises
all converging at once
people talking
children screaming
announcements
beeping and barked orders to move out of the way

one step closer
to my final destination
sitting in my assigned seat
the belt clasped securely
i look out the window
the workers working
planes taxiing in
others being guided out
luggage ending up in the plane’s belly

i close my eyes
excitedly
i wait for the tug on my bottom
my arms and my legs
to securely plant me further into my seat
my ears gently release with each jaw opening
i can hear the drone of the engines clearly now

watch a movie
receive a beverage and a snack
play a game
read a book
people watch
sleep, maybe
anything to pass the time

at last we’ve arrived
touchdown
relief floods my senses
my body straining
against the seatbelt
as the brakes are engaged
my seat seems to want to eject me now
parked at the gate
the melody of belt clicks and notifications
sound a familiar chorus

with my hand on my carry-on
pushing down the aisle
i wonder
will the fly i see escaping
out the front door of the plane
adjust easily to its new city
will i