Back from vacation, ready for the next vacation. All earth is one big vacation, as long as you are running around, sitting around, watching the parasails over the waves. Smack dab in the middle of heaven, sometimes it is hard to stop and get the camera out.

Happy 4th.

Remember the real fireworks.

Sunset over the Hill Country of Texas last night. The very last of the sun is going down right at the horizon. I missed the glorious part of the sunset, but the afterglow is important, too. The part of the poem that stays with you long after you read a poem is the important part.

Every woman is a gamble. You never know which way the balls are going to roll. Marriage is one of the most complicated things to get yourself into. A lot has been written about marriage. To make a commitment to another person is a wild thing to do. Gawd, after ten years of living with someone do you every get to know them? No.

Everyone keeps changing, and that is the poem for today.

There is nothing more wonderful than having a cup of coffee out on the deck in the morning and reading a book of poetry. Except now, I've given up coffee. I think it is weird stuff. So, now there is nothing more wonderful than being out on the deck and reading a book of poetry. Except now, I hate poetry. I can't stand it. That's why I try to write poetry.

To live a long time without a major tragedy is good luck. How few of us count our blessings. It isn't easy to count our blessings. It takes effort.

Here is an artist you might enjoy,

http://www.marybickford.com/

No matter how old we get, (I am convinced) emotions often remain simple and easily understood--what confuses and stresses is when there are too many conflicting emotions, when feelings are forced by necessity into being modulated by thinking.

Forlorn Future

Sometimes things happen to other people which ends up changing you. Now there is an idea for a poem. My wife goes to a funeral and brings back flowers because they have so many. One day she will bring them home for me, my funeral. So I say, nice flowers, while I have the chance.

Been Awhile

Under the weather for awhile. First an icestorm, then the flu, then the usual stress.

In the meantime, more ghastly poems in the mail box, more horrid poems everywhere.

Mangled sentences do not a poem make. Why is the simplest of all theories the hardest to get across to people? If one cannot say something directly and with simplicity, maybe one should not say it at all. In a great effort to claim creativity, poets twist words and meanings into a mix of vomit and fecal stuff. Don't mangle everything, don't codify.

Place

There are places with magic; magical places. Such places are often tiny, scaled to human size. Islands in the chaos.

Fells Point

The Half King

There are vortexes that lead to centers of thought. A thousand voices often lead to one voice. Worlds often lead to one place. An artist often has one picture, a poet one poem. A life, one love. A youth, one goal. Not to be considered a restriction but an element of inclusion to be considered. Each of us can be many things, and have many goals. But how rare are true compassionate friends?

View out the The Half King, Manhattan. The Owner wrote the book, The Perfect Storm

Half King (NYC Pub) Review - New York City Restaurant Reviews ...HERE is how you can tell the Half King is a bar for writers: First, ... But the Half King, named for an 18th-century American Indian leader, is unlike any ...

Wonder at Life

This carving looks like somebody I know, but I don't know who. Anyway, he certainly does have a wonder look about him.

Some poems are answers and some are questions. Answer, question. Maybe a balance works best. Too much of either may well ruin a poem.

A Dog Goes Prancing

Sometimes, just before the sun goes down, a dog goes prancing by on his evening walk, his head held high, maybe chasing something.

_________

Some poetry seems to be 'throw away' poetry. You read it once and don't really want to read it again. Other poetry gets read over and over, across years as well. So what is the difference?

Virtual Read

The 'Virtual Read' is mostly done, about 15 pictures more to go. Test it out if you will, and any feed back is appreciated.
Visit www.thomasjardine.com and Click "Virtual Read" on the left.
Or here

A Virtual Reading

Coming soon to a computer near you, a virtual reading experience, read all the poems in Virtual White Orchids, my only in print book, on the web! No need to buy anything! Poetry should be free.

Each page will be photographed and visible, as if you are there reading it yourself! Ah, there is nothing like taking time to read a poetry book, through lunch and the evening!

Watch here for when it is available, and wait for the surprises! Next week!

An international on the internet first!

Moon

The missing element on the charts is the element of time. We live without much regard to the fact that not far above our heads is the edge of space, and small planets passing by. I look out there every day. Do you?

Never

You never know what is going to happen next. There is nothing more difficult than dealing with an individual who does not bring all their thoughts to the surface and express them, but is tied to subconscious traumas and psuedo means to resolve unconscious snags and patterns. It is so tiresome, energy draining and a waste of life.

Life is to be a form of art, not unconscious bibble-babble, like most poetry today.

Almost a Year

I have been working on one poem almost a year. Twelve lines. It has also been a very busy year, doing other things, the things that are fun but don't make any difference. Everyone wants to make a difference.

Dawn the other day as I opened the front door.

Not So Interesting

If the poem you are writing has you yourself as the end result, however interesting you think your opinion or view is to the world, put the poem back in the drawer. The reader doesn't want to know about you, the reader wants to know about how to get along in life better, how to see things more clearly, and so forth. And you, you are probably not so interesting, that is, if the subject is always you.