In 1853, Matthew Perry led four ships into Tokyo Bay to establish formal ties between the United States and Japan for the first time. Others had tried before, but none were successful. Perry’s mission was to secure safe harbor for shipwrecked Americans and gain permission for U.S. ships to refuel and resupply at Japanese ports.Continue reading “Friends Forged In Fire: A Haiku Series”
Tag Archives: writing
Heroes From History: David Humphreys
David Humphreys was an American officer, diplomat, and poet during the revolutionary period. He was born in Derby, Connecticut on July 10, 1752. Before the war of 1776, Humphreys went to Yale College and was one of the founders of a literary society known as the Connecticut Wits along with Joel Barlow, whom Humphreys wouldContinue reading “Heroes From History: David Humphreys”
Narrow Is the Way
This is an ABAB poem I wrote in rumination on the meaning of Matthew 7:13-14. The passage speaks of the importance of taking the more difficult road in life, for the easy path is the one many take, and it leads them to into ruin. It reminded me of how we must stress our bodiesContinue reading “Narrow Is the Way”
Keepers of the Flame
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.” ― Gustav Mahler A poem inspired by these words, the tides of history, and the importance of conserving our traditions to the maintenance of civilization. Traditions pass from ear to earA fateful guide to the lost soulAn eternal binding we find most dearAContinue reading “Keepers of the Flame”
And So Comes A New Year
And so passes another year on this journey of ours we call life. We carry on, hoping to be better moving forward than we were in the past. For many, that is the goal, and so it should be. Without that drive to continually improve ourselves, we lay stagnant and decay. Atrophy sets in andContinue reading “And So Comes A New Year”
The Gift of Giving
What is it to give a gift?The power to shape soulsAn ancient art to elate and upliftA force to make us whole We give to others to receiveThe greatest gift of allTo know in our hearts and to believeThere is no greater call Through this act we do ascendAnd rise up to our greatest selvesWhenContinue reading “The Gift of Giving”
Through Feast and Famine, We Give Thanks
I had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday this year, and it has given me the opportunity to ruminate further on the spirit of Thanksgiving. This is a holiday rich with tradition and history, even though it may often be overlooked by many as a mere family gathering every November. This prompted me to produce another ABABContinue reading “Through Feast and Famine, We Give Thanks”
Day of the Devil Dogs: A Haiku Series
November 10th this year was the 246th anniversary of the birth of the United States Marine Corps. At the time of their initial inception, the US Marines were referred to as the Continental Marines. The Second Continental Congress ordered the formation of two battalions of marines on November 10, 1775 to serve as a landingContinue reading “Day of the Devil Dogs: A Haiku Series”
The Hammer of Man: A Haiku Series
October is host to the anniversary of the Battle of Tours, a less impactful, but no highly symbolic skirmish in human history. Also referred to as the Battle of Poitiers, was a skirmish fought between the Frankish Carolingians and the Umayyad Caliphate on October 10, 732. The exact location of the skirmish is unknown, takingContinue reading “The Hammer of Man: A Haiku Series”
The Monomyth and “Hero’s Journey”
The Monomyth is a 17-step guide for creating a story, separated into three acts. It was first defined as such by Joseph Campbell, and later refined into the 12-step Hero’s Journey by Christopher Vogler. However, this formula was not something created by Joseph Campbell or any other individual. Rather, it would be more accurate toContinue reading “The Monomyth and “Hero’s Journey””
The Pensive Warrior 