honesty
September 9, 2009
- September 9 HARVEST TIMING The harvest fits in the growing season and the oak fits inside the acorn. My sober mind fits right in my sober time. The soul of everything rubs across the hind leg of a cricket to sing. The infinite machinery of the universe spins but you stand there questioning the existence of a Higher Power. Well, that’s who you are, but I have only one question for ...
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September 8, 2009
- A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a blog talk radio host just hours before we were due to go live. The host, afraid to upset the show’s listeners, wanted to change topics from talking (with a book club) about Homefront’s story and characters to talking about publishing and writing, in general, because there was concern the readers of the book, and listeners of the show, ...
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September 4, 2009
- I am torn between despising the fascist, no-nothing Right in America and the you-can't say-that-even-though-it's-true Left. Both are infuriating, because only their perspectives are permitted. One has to be a glutton for punishment to take them on. I am getting too old to do it.
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August 27, 2009
- For almost all my life, I have been plagued with bad manners. Not the kind that I would write about to, say, Miss Manners for some advice, because she might laugh at me or at least not take me seriously. But it’s been a huge problem nonetheless. I have been nice. Too nice. Oh, I can see you all, sniggering, rolling your eyes, making that circular motion to your head, looking a ...
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August 26, 2009
- The Clover PracticeTM is intended to help people experience less stress in the workplace. Etiquette has a similar aim--to identify agreed upon behaviors up front so we don't have to rethink every social situation. The aim is smoother interactions and, by definition, less stress around what do to. The first leaf of The Clover PracticeTM is "Tell the truth, always," even if it's not ...
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August 24, 2009
- Eileen “I was driving my son to a birthday party this afternoon and he said, “Mom, I am sorry I did not feel like working around the house this morning”. I said, “Welcome to adulthood”. He said, “Wait one minute, that has nothing to do with adulthood”. And, I said, “Yes, you are right. It has to do with responsibility”. He agreed. It is these “unprofound” conversations ...
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August 23, 2009
- Eileen “My comment is unpolitical, David, but so far, I am fortunate to have decent dialect with my son about what he is going through at 13. Also, we pray from our souls every night and count our blessings so I hope and think he is getting spiritual grounding. I am too tired at night to intellectualize with him. When he attends college and wants an intellectual dialogue, I will ...
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August 20, 2009
- Eileen “I agree. Does an actor portray his real life – not usually. If we are to believe he does, I think that is childish.” Acting is a terrific analogy. A good writer, just like a good actor, tries to “get inside” the characters he or she is hoping to portray. When I write a poem and can say “I” instead of “he” or “she,” I find getting inside the fictional person in the ...
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August 19, 2009
- As my recent posts would suggest, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s o.k. to write poetry in the first person about experiences one hasn’t had, even knowing that such poems defy convention and that one’s audience might mistakenly believe such verse to be autobiographical. I think such defiance is justfied when: 1) it serves some greater truth, and 2) the author knows enough about ...
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August 18, 2009
- E. J. Barnes “It’s easier to get away with fiction in poetry if it’s clearly science-fiction, fantasy, or set in a historic period. I’m reminded of a story published some years ago called “The Man Who Planted Trees”. It got turned into a half-hour “short” animated film. It was just such a beautiful, hopeful story that many viewers of the film (including myself), as well as ...
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