From about 1963 to 1970 I kept a journal that included short stories. I told countless stories when my children appeared on the scene but didn't write any down. With my granddaughters I wrote the stories I thought had merit. Of course, not all were written for them.
I have been inspired to write poems by a range of emotions and experiences. The emotions include passion, sadness, regret, depression, and the desire to be witty. The inspiration may be personal but in most cases I hope to capture some general truth, feeling, or observation.
Each poem in the collection below is accompanied by comments on its inspiration. This is important whether or not my thinking is profound because it is always valuable to understand the roots and sources of creativity and inspiration.
The number of poems I include is too large to list separately. Therefore, I collected them in the single volume below, arranging them chronologically. All my poems have rhyme and meter. I confess that I simply do not understand free verse.
Here is an example of one of the poems, perhaps my best. It was inspired by my feeling of gratitude when my wife, Bernice nursed me back to health after a serious case of the flu.
I use the essay as a way to make myself heard, or at least feel that I am heard. As a result, many of my essays are inspired by anger at situations I feel are unfair. I am often satirical and as the result of my personality, much less often inspirational. But I'm working on it.