Undone Decisions made in haste are doubts deferred. The need to come off confident, to seem As though in...

  The Departure His soulful eyes did look on life, and sorely did he weep. He turned his head upon...

  Apologia We stand on others’ shoulders. That is why I sometimes speak a thought already spoken. It’s tradition. Truth...

  The Most Important Forgiveness Humiliating errors we’ve all made, And plagued ourselves by tending to relive, Would stand a...

  King Cyrus Issues an Edict “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia: ‘All the kingdoms of the earth hath the...

  Montaigne and Us He holed up in his tower of stone, alone, Sickened by what he saw had overcome...

  A Song for the Survivors of Grooming Gangs Clutches of cowards stain once restful ways Where doors opened on...

  When Still Means Free ---upon watching the movie Melania When someone causes one to smile, With radiance mild, and...

  Sister Goddess and the Chimera “In Greek myth, a chimera is a creepy combination of lion, goat, dragon---in humans,...

  Divorce _We part our ways Like others part a sea; _You, Egypt, stay, While I, a Hebrew, flee. _We...

  True Susanna Susanna, beauty faithful to young love, To marriage, and to parents’ righteous ways, But most to God,...

  Seven Limericks of an Old Cynic Ataraxia (ἀταραξία) – accented on the penultimate vowel. Untroubled stillness, pure calm, impassiveness,...

  'The Real Star' of the 2026 World Economic Forum —inspired by quotes from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Gavin...

  Olympic Gold _Eat the beauty and the beast. Ingest, digest until you’ve had your fill. _Sojourn till the west...

  Mice and Midges Please remove your shoes of leather During this inclement weather. Also boots with deepest ridges, Full...

  Reviewed Poetry Book: The Burning Word: A Poetic Pilgrimage through Suffering, Faith, and Divine Encounter, by James Sale, 2026...

  A Hospital Drawing She sketched the world upon a sheet of white— A hospital with corridors of beds. Two...

  Garden Goddess   I. This humble plot of land is bogged in snow And ice, with twigs and brushy...

  Old Bengal A Mystic Play ---for Shivani Muvva Shivani longs for old Bengal, _For palaces and kings, For servants...

  Atomized The Great Stillness fell throughout the loud town. A quiet dust began to settle down. Where laughter once...

  Baucis and Philemon A Poem for the Day After Valentine’s Day   Dank February’s leavened turf broods green stirrings,...

  To Thine Own Text Be True For My Autocorrect on Valentine’s Day You turn my hope to mope, my...

Listen, Wishin' Star Listen, you cotton pickin’ Wishin’ Star, I know how far up in the sky you are. I...

  Hallmark Holiday Some chocolates in a crimson, heart-shaped box— if ever there’s a thing that says I love you...

Poet Mark F. Stone delivers a speech on reading poetry live on the radio. His remarks were given at the...

  Snow Day Behold! A winning winter’s day! The soul of spring is on display: A vivifying snow is come...

  The Mystery That Is You The gasping hulks of rusted wrecks that share with eyeless scavengers the mysteries of...

  The Vault _The turning sky enwraps the world. Each day, entreating eyes wide-open to This circling vault shall earn...

  Clonmacnoise (Cluain Mhic Nóis) Rocky gray ruins, round tower stronghold, speckling a wide expanse of green, residuum of a...

  Song of the Beelzebots We lure you with our speed and with our flair. We snare you with our...

  Come Spring Come spring, and all the creeping things come back. The gnats and flies (of various kinds). The...

Lydia, De-Tattooed Lady ---with apologies to Groucho Marx The years she spent performing in the sun Have made her epidermis...

  Modern Generation Gap I wish some young folks’ touchiness was less extensive, _So more of them could ponder this...

  A Fishing Tale ---24 November 2025 Young Jeffrey oft went fishing with his dad Sometimes for perch but oftener...

  Beatrice Departs, St. Bernard Arrives: Canto XXXI of Paradise by Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) translated by Stephen Binns It was...

  Beauty Is a State of Mind A young Masai tribe suitor who is wanting to get married, Must offer...

  The Triumph ---on the three lost legions, and the abrupt end to expansion under Augustus The lovely face of...

  Carnival Quintilla Subtly startling Harlequin, Mutely miming tenderness, Yang you are and I am yin, Thrilled to feel your...

  Village There once was a village where everyone shared _whenever another had need. The folks in that place were...

  Thoughts at Daybreak At break of day, you rise up quietly To check on our young daughter, who lies...