This weekend was the 244th anniversary of the first time the American Flag was flown in battle. On September 3, 1777 the red, white, and blue banner with thirteen stars and thirteen stripes was first flown during the Battle of Cooch’s Bride in Delaware. Under the command of General William Maxwell, Continental forces raised theContinue reading “Fateful Flight of the Stars and Stripes”
Tag Archives: poems
Before the Dawn: A Dramatic Monologue/Soliloquy
Here is my first attempt at a new form of poetry I have never written before: a dramatic monologue/soliloquy. I wrote it while contemplating the common phrase “the night is always darkest before the dawn.” Please enjoy! The night is darkest before the dawn, as I am so often told. Walking through the halls ofContinue reading “Before the Dawn: A Dramatic Monologue/Soliloquy”
Pain and Regret: A Haiku Series
This is a haiku series I wrote during a reflection on feelings of loss and despair. I present it without further comment. Left in grief and tears Overwhelming agony All hope being lost Time has flown away A haunting dread that follows So much left undone So many mistakes Never to be rewritten Dread IContinue reading “Pain and Regret: A Haiku Series”
An Eternal Duty
Last week’s Independence Day celebrations, today’s anti-communist protests in Cuba, and my own ponderings on the founding documents of the United States and writings from Thomas Jefferson got me thinking about the duties of defending freedom and liberty, as well as the careful difference between liberty and licentiousness which must be recognized, lest we becomeContinue reading “An Eternal Duty”
Diamond In the Sky: A Haiku Series
A few years ago, I wrote poem about the life cycle of a star. I called it, “Diamond In the Sky.” I tried to find that poem to republish it here, but it was on my previous computer which I reformatted and gave away a while back. I did not create a copy, unfortunately. However,Continue reading “Diamond In the Sky: A Haiku Series”
The Trials of Humanity: A Haiku Series
As I was reflecting on how far Humanity has come and how much further we have yet to go, I pondered how corrupt empires and authoritarian regimes have risen up throughout history, time and time again. Every time, one way or another, they do seem to be self-defeating and lead their followers – who theyContinue reading “The Trials of Humanity: A Haiku Series”
Spring’s First Touches
Here is a poem I wrote about springtime. I am always inspired by spring and the transition from winter. I live in an area with four distinct seasons, and the winters are very cold. When spring comes back around every year, I feel my appreciation for the sun and its warmth renewed. Spring’s First TouchesContinue reading “Spring’s First Touches”
Haiku: Useful as a Meditative Aid
As mentioned in this month’s first post, haiku was popular with the Japanese samurai. They were a very literate society and they used haiku not only to express their creativity and love for art, but also to calm themselves before battle. I have stated before that I normally write poetry in the ABAB format, thoughContinue reading “Haiku: Useful as a Meditative Aid”
How to Write a Poem: A Three-Step Process
When I first started writing poetry, I did not have a step-by-step writing process which I followed from start to finish. As a result, I would spend all day (and sometimes even multiple days) writing a single-page poem with a simple rhyme scheme. I tried crafting every line in its final form right from theContinue reading “How to Write a Poem: A Three-Step Process”
Warriors and Artists: Poetry of the Samurai
I am sure many, if not all of us have heard stories of the famous Japanese samurai. This class of renowned warriors was prominent for nearly a thousand years in Japan’s history. The first samurai were said to have emerged in the 1100’s and continued to exist up until 1835. They often served at theContinue reading “Warriors and Artists: Poetry of the Samurai”
The Pensive Warrior 