‘The Great Living Hell’ and Other Poetry by Joe Tessitore The Society December 12, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Poetry 2 Comments The Great Living Hell On Communism Under the radar I fly Thru' an ever more darkening sky Thru' the smoke from the volumes that burned Thru' the silence of lessons unlearned Thru' the sound of the...
‘A Shen Yun Holiday Sonnet’ by Evan Mantyk The Society December 10, 2017 Beauty, Children's, Performing Arts, Poetry 9 Comments When Santa’s sleigh took to the sky, He saw a wonder by him fly: A Chinese Fairy dance on clouds And point to where there gathered crowds; A theater’s lights shone dazzling bright And beckoned him...
‘The Buds of Life’ and Other Poetry by David Watt The Society December 9, 2017 Beauty, Poetry, The Environment 6 Comments The Buds of Life On Nightly News I saw a sight obscene: A seahorse in embrace with cotton bud, Soon causing me to ask, ‘What does this mean?’ The answer came most clear, with numbing thud...
‘The Watcher’ by B. L. Perez The Society December 8, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 3 Comments For Bishop Berkeley & for Madman Blake First, the wind; then, the waves; then the shore —but the Mind—yes, the Mind—long before. First, darkness; then, ignition; then the light —but...
Essay: A Tribute to John Keats by Sam Gilliland The Society December 7, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Essays, Poetry 1 Comment Any treatise claiming critical review of verse, whether in the widest sense, or, as in this case, the result of compressed choice, purely down to the author’s own consideration, I hasten to add, is probably...
‘Summer Showers in the African Savanna’ by Nivedita Karthik The Society December 6, 2017 Beauty, Poetry Slowly yet steadily the heat starts to soar as the sun’s first rays glimmer in the east sky. With no breeze to cool down the forest floor the temperature reached an all-new high. Nothing...
‘The Morning Muse’ and Other Poetry by Craig Daniel Koon The Society December 4, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry 1 Comment The Morning Muse This time of day the Muses pass As rolling clouds and dewy grass, To see their handouts properly bestowed. How much I’ve felt and ever feel That writhing impulse in me reel When...
‘For Patricia Smith’ by Joseph S. Salemi The Society December 3, 2017 Beauty, Blank Verse, Poetry 11 Comments Joseph Pulitzer Junior High September 1959 – June 1961 I think we spoke but fifty words, all told. No more than that, and most were just polite— A brief exchange of greetings or a comment On some...
‘What Tolkien Said’ and Other Poetry by Neal Dachstadter The Society December 2, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 2 Comments What Tolkien Said “...together through the ages of the world we have fought the long defeat.” Galadriel, of Celeborn Together we fought the long defeat The loss, the win, but no retreat Embossed and...
Essay: My Predecessor, Fray Angelico Chavez Part I by Joseph Charles MacKenzie The Society December 1, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Essays, Poetry 4 Comments The poetry of Fray Angelico Chavez can be read here. By Joseph Charles MacKenzie Fray Angélico Chávez, O.F.M. (1910-1996) remains the most important poet of New Mexico’s modern history. It is precisely...
‘A Slice of Eden’ and Other Poetry by G.M.H. Thompson The Society November 30, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry 1 Comment A Slice of Eden A mango tart broke my heart dark one stormy day because it said I'd be dead if I touched its glaze, & lotus cake made me ache late one luckless night because it cried when I tried...
‘The Adobe Building – New Mexico’ by Sam Gilliland The Society November 29, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 3 Comments For Joseph Charles MacKenzie Herein lies silence and serenity, Along with untold tales of many men, Mixing mud and straw, soon to be a home, Where wives gave an hundred births dignity, Often joy, tinged...
‘Far Across the Plains’ by Zachary Dilks The Society November 27, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 5 Comments For honor! For valor! The battle stole and won Where up the soul arises down the barrel of a gun The courses set and forces met with destined blood and bones But I, I fear, am fated here to never...
‘The Hill’ by Dr. Emory Jones The Society November 25, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 2 Comments The swollen hill is pregnant with the Spring, A promise of a resurrection day, A warm renewal, life in everything Is bursting forth like perfumed blooms of May And now it will be constant joy to...
Ten of the Best Poems by Robert Frost (that you’ve probably never read) The Society November 24, 2017 Beauty, Best Poems, Culture, Education, Essays, Poetry 18 Comments by Dusty Grein The Man The American poet Robert Frost was born on March 26, 1874, in San Francisco, CA. He spent his first 40 years mostly unknown, and it wasn’t until after returning to the United...
‘Hand in Hand’ by Nicholas Froumis The Society November 23, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 1 Comment She remembers the first time his hand closed around her fingers, the smooth skin of youth and a slight dampness like when he proposed. He loved her fragrant hand lotion, in truth, and he would...
‘Narcissus Saw Himself Only Once’ and Other Poetry by Phillip Whidden The Society November 22, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 1 Comment Narcissus Saw Himself Only Once “Due to the poor quality, high cost, and small size of these ancient glass mirrors, solid metal-mirrors primarily of steel were usually preferred until the late...
‘Letting Go’ by Michael Glassman The Society November 21, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 6 Comments The birch, the elm, the aging spruce Cannot restrain the restless roots Of saplings drawn to the silent sound Of brother’s heading skyward bound Youthful trees spreading their wings Dropping...
‘When I Speak of History’ by Leonard Dabydeen The Society November 18, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Poetry 5 Comments When I speak of history I speak well; I leave behind the past where broken bones Lay scattered on blistering sands to tell Of atrocities that are mostly groans. While you may feel the pain lurking...
Translation of ‘La Function du Poet’ by Victor Hugo The Society November 17, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Translation 3 Comments The Function of the Poet Tanslation by David Bellemare Gosselin God summons him in times gone awry When each can’t will, but serves his duty. For pity to him who to all his brothers Declares his...
‘A Country Song’ by Joe Tessitore The Society November 15, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Poetry 11 Comments A Country Song (for my wife's birthday) I'm no longer young and strong and things take me twice as long Might not hear you when you call and I don't stand quite so tall Seasons change and...
‘Haunted’ by Sam Gilliland The Society November 14, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 10 Comments Haunted, by a recurring memory, Suffocating, where gladioli grow, Gaunt, with grief, heart stilled, ever passionless, Those dream-filled nights, devoid of charity, Make of slumber a fierce, eternal...
‘The Train of Thoughts Returns to Tradition’ by David Watt The Society November 13, 2017 Beauty, Deconstructing Communism, Poetry 8 Comments With sun seductive, blinding, thoughts of open rail reminding Of adventures held in albums, slightly faded, fondly worn; I departed with a vision magnified through time’s revision, Of idyllic...
‘Safe Passage’ by Linda Imbler The Society November 12, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 1 Comment To do no harm, no deeds with base intent, To this end we must teach the little ones The way of safe passage. In lieu, so spent Time on a hateful road, the train brakeman And teary...
‘Kudzu’ and Other Poetry by Don Shook The Society November 11, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry 4 Comments Kudzu* Yes, I creep to cover, smother, choking greenery like no other. I am Kudzu taking over places once filled deep in clover, trees and bushes, vines entwining; each within my path...
‘Winter Whispers’ by Carter Davis Johnson The Society November 10, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 3 Comments Upon a winter’s evening, The sun sits out of sight, While all the stars are dreaming, I peer into the night. My footsteps slowly falling, The silence they do break. I hear a soft voice...
‘A Deserted House’ by Kathleen Farrell The Society November 9, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 4 Comments Today I saw a little nest fashioned neat and trim, with plastic wrap, and grass and leaves entwined in feathered rim. What bird had labored to create a home so snug and warm and placed it...
‘Rows of Steps’ by Rajnish Mishra The Society November 8, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 4 Comments Row after row, steps rising from the river, Row after row, steps falling to the same, Rising, going westward, falling, coming – a game Words play on life; and life, a little later Shells the...
‘A Hardcover Book’ and Other Poetry by Carol Smallwood The Society November 6, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 2 Comments A Hardcover Book Carrying a hardcover book instead of a small electronic tool I get polite, benevolent smiles seemingly reserved for the old; people ask, “How old’s your Bible?” as if...
‘Inscription on the Golden Gate, Constantinople (Translation)’ and Poetry by Morgan Downs The Society November 5, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Translation 1 Comment Inscription on the Golden Gate, Constantinople (Translation) Commemorating Emperor Theodosius' Victory over the usurper, Maximus, at the Battle of the Save in 388 AD. Theodosius was the last emperor...
‘November’ by Lorna Davis The Society November 4, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 29 Comments The golden days of late October fade As bleak November’s iron skies descend. When tresses, like the leaden clouds, have grayed, We see our fruitful time’s approaching end. The sunlight that...
‘From the Top’ by Timothy Richardson The Society November 3, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 7 Comments on a Maine mountain Here, my mind can cross the thoughts of birds; ___land on a summit’s fingertip or drift into clear blue until it's out of words. Nerves flutter in a teasing gust so...
‘On Loch Lomond, On A Birthday’ by J.D. Graham The Society November 2, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 1 Comment Just west of old Ben Lomond, high and gray, a downy-heathered island on a loch did soak our feet before we rowed away for western shores, to find a little dock in Luss. A pot of tea to warm our...
‘Sweet Recollections’ and Other Poetry by Dusty Grein The Society November 1, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Triolet 2 Comments Sweet Recollections an awdl gywydd Tea time, just my mom and me… ___memories so sweet and dear, knowing I was her first choice; ___still her voice is crystal clear. Some of my favorite...
‘Ode to Autumn’ by Joseph Charles MacKenzie (with Audio) The Society October 31, 2017 Beauty, Poetry, Readings 7 Comments Sonnet XXV: Ode to Autumn Of shadows long and light of rarest gold, Abundant bringer, harvester of land, Receive, O Autumn, as in days of old, This wreath of olive from a poet’s hand! I sing the...
Essay: Are Shakespeare and Dante Dead White European Males? (Part 1) The Society October 30, 2017 Beauty, Essays, Poetry, Shakespeare 5 Comments By David Gosselin The answer to the above question is of course no. Shakespeare and Dante are not dead because every true poet is immortal. However, much of our contemporary thinkers seem to be under the...
‘Under the Rocks Are the Words’ by Neal Dachstadter The Society October 29, 2017 Beauty, Poetry 6 Comments “Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.” -Norman Maclean Ask not the earth, ask not the sky, Drain not the firth nor pester, pry, Strain not the stone, nor probe the...
‘Canzone 4’ and Other Poetry by Sam Gilliland The Society October 28, 2017 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 5 Comments Canzone 4 For Bob Hunter I am your eyes now, imaging memories, Amiens, Ypres, Flanders and the Somme; And in my secret world the pale dawn holds Out her hand bearing gifts that sight unfolds; But...
‘Autumn Haiku’ and Other Poetry by Brian Mc Cabe The Society October 27, 2017 Acrostic, Beauty, Haiku and Senryu, Human Rights in China, Poetry 1 Comment Autumn Haiku The red squirrel flits From brown bark to golden leaf He is not gone yet Winter Acrostic When cold winds blow and rain comes from the north In time, you see the days are growing...
‘To Dawn by I Warble Seduce’ by Bruce Dale Wise The Society October 26, 2017 Beauty, Humor, Poetry 4 Comments To Dawn by I. Warble Seduce I. Warble Seduce is a poet of Romantic leanings. Dawn is his paramour. 1. It's evening. An aroma of roses arises in the garden. Sunlit rays of gold enfold the myrrh and...