Inspiration

I have had a life-long love affair with poetry. My Grandmother wrote poetry until she was almost 90, and I saw, at a very early age, what joy that endeavor brought to her life. It was with considerable temerity that I first tried my own hand at writing poetry. Since 1957, I have written my way through four decades--in good times, bad times, and all the in between times. I always experienced great personal satisfaction, regardless how imperfect my poetic efforts seemed at the time (still seem). Although I have derived great rewards from my creative efforts, I have always longed for feedback from others who share my special passion for poetry. Accordingly, I decided to create this web page not only to share the fruits of my poetic efforts with others (hopefully enriching the quality of their lives) but, as importantly, to solicit feedback from them on my own work (work that is never done)! Those who read the attached Poem Du Jour will find that nature is usually the principal source of my inspiration. Indeed, as I look at the world around me I continue to feel that the perfection in nature provides a valuable antidote to the imperfections and abuses of our age. For me, there is a wisdom and a purpose in nature that puts to shame the best of our modern contrivances. It bothers me that more and more people absent themselves from the natural realm, which, for me, has always been the greatest source of creativity; the only hope for a quiet heart. What follows today and on succeeding days is my own humble attempt to pay homage to the haunting beauty manifest in the natural realm.