Andrew's View of the Week

Fog

Posted on 01/18/2015 by Andrew Reynolds

California fog
costal fog
tule fog.

In the summer the sea covers the forest
in cooling fog
shading trees from the heat of the day.

Tule fog comes after the refreshing rains
when the air stills
when the nights are long waiting for more rain.

Fog covers the world
in damp and cold
that penetrates the soul and bones

The world pauses as long visions obscure
and grey fills the sight and mind.
Grey covers green lawns and red stop lights.

The coastal redwoods reaching for the sky
spread their thin hands to catch the mist
and let the water drop at their feet.
Life giving, thirst quenching, cooling fog

People it drives indoors as it chills the soul
driving light and life from their eyes.
Bones ache in the silent damp
as all turn their eyes to where the sun should be.

Through the ages, the trees have welcomed the fog
and it’s gift of refreshing water.
Their small needles specially made for the task finding
water in the long summer drought of the California coast.

Slowly, painfully
the bright spot of the sun grows
brings the day to glorious clear light.

Dancing in the sun people rejoice at the return of light and warmth.

The trees lament as
their roots return to the thirst of a long dry summer.

Me reading the poem.

That’s all for this week. I am taking next week off from this blog to spend a little more time on my poetry book.

Till next time,

Andrew

Posted in Poems | Tagged poem, poems, Poetry | 15 Comments

He sits in the choir
in the same chair for 50 years
sings the same part
Once his hair was black and his voice could fill the sanctuary
this place he built with the others of his time
today he still sings, still does his part
as the lights that now dim
and the spot light focuses on the pulpit
and the young preacher beginning her sermon
on a text the old man has heard each of his 80 years
He knows the story well, it has filled his hunger and is etched on his heart.
Still the pastor tells it once again
as the man’s head leans forward
not in prayer but in sleep
which is the better gift, the word or the sleep?

Well that’s it for this week, just a short poem that I wrote when I should have been listening to the pastor preach.

Till Next week,

Andrew

Posted in Poems | Tagged poem, Poetry | 3 Comments

Timeless – a poetry reading

Posted on 01/05/2015 by Andrew Reynolds

I recently read a book titled, Singing School, by Robert Pinsky. No, it’s not about how to sing music. It’s about how to write poetry by giving examples of notable poems where Pinsky points out the interesting twists and things the poet does to make a particular poem good, interesting or notable. One of the things Pinksy points out that some poems need to be read aloud to get the full impact of the poem. Often just reading a poem silently isn’t enough. There can be important parts missed by just reading with the mind without passing the poem through your ears.

So, I decided to read one of my poems aloud to hear what it sounded like to my ears. I’ve been thinking lately that I need to present my poems in two forms – the written word and the spoken word. Listen to my reading and let me know what you think

Timeless poetry reading

Timeless Text

Till next time,

Andrew

Posted in Poems, Writing | Tagged poem, Poetry, poetry reading | 7 Comments

Boring

Posted on 01/04/2015 by Andrew Reynolds

I’ve not been doing much. Did clean the shop a little, finished the storage unit and made a few notes on my writing projects. I did spend a few hours catching up on my financial bookkeeping. Mostly, not much happened. Heather and I went to a movie, a walk by the ocean and did a day trip up to the de Young Museum in San Francisco.

and there was the jigsaw puzzle we did. Exciting times I tell you.

It was exactly what my creative spirit needed – rest. Sometimes the best thing you can do to nurture your creativity is, nothing. We can’t be giving all the time, we have to take in as well. Any of you who have read The Artist’s Way will recognize this as the concept of “breathing in.” As much as we want to produce things, sometimes we need to take the time to let our creative selves rest and recover.

Heather found a fun book at the museum book store that is a fun way to look at the same thing. It’s titled, Steal Like and Artist by Austin Kleon.

It’s a fun book with lots of good ideas. He points out that most creative work is really derivative (that’s the fancy way to say it). He makes this point clear in a fun and amusing way. It’s a book I’d recommend to all of you who are looking to improve your creativity. It’s a quick read but insightful.

… and he calls resting, “be boring.”

Today I am feeling like the “be boring” thing has been working. I’ve got a number of ideas to work on, have started working on a couple of new poems for my book and decided to abandon one poem I was working. It became clear around three o’clock today that the poem was just an ending with out a beginning that made sense.

My fault really – I got the ending from a Bible story but forgot to steal a beginning…

Till next week,
Andrew