View A collection of poetry readings and MUSICAL performances
Green Fuzzy
The poem speaks to the green fuzzy, or other childhood comfort, that is really what we search for in different ways as adults.
The Willows
The poem speaks of the differences between the way indigenous or Native Americans view their connection to nature as opposed to colonizers.
INA MAKA AND OTHERS
A poem written for mothers day, with an eye towards Ina Maka (Mother Earth in Lakota) to whom we should all be grateful, and whom we should strive to protect as much as the mother;s in our individual lives.
Lone Wolf Howl
Poetry Alive 2022
Not Done Yet
Written for National Women’s History Month, the only poem selected written by a man to be read at an event celebrating Women’s History.
Same Old Blues
Video reflecting aspects of the stories of Samantha "Sam" Rose Johnson, Licensed Private Detective and self-described "straight up bitch", with Billie Holliday, Strange Fruit, style smoky jazz playing.
Your Thoughts And Prayers
This poem came to me after hearing about another school shooting. Especially as an Honorably Discharged member of the United States Army Military Police, a certified firearms instructor and veteran private detective, I know that we face a crisis in this country that is a symptom of a sick gun culture. But, the people responsible for making laws and regulations that would address this issue are too busy worrying about being elected, and collecting from NRA lobbyists.
Skin to Skin
The video hopefully adds a visual element which emphasizes the underlying message of the poem. The poem speaks mostly to the feeling that a mother, or father, can experience in that first moment when they hold their newborn, when that initial skin-to-skin contact is made. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to be resent at my children's birth, and even more so for being able to place them on my bare chest, and create that lifelong connection, skin to skin. I also think that, especially in our current culture, the value of skin to skin contact in many contexts (romantic, friendship, companionship) is greatly undervalued. Whether it is the simple shaking of hands, a consoling massage of a friend's back or shoulders, or the most passionate kiss, there is a level of communication which occurs in those instances that cannot be expressed any othere way.