Category Archives: Uncategorized
Quiet
A poem I wrote late one night when my children were very young and everyone in the house was asleep came to mind recently. I found myself awake late at night, reading intermittently, and thinking about my family and friends. … Continue reading
Volunteering—Remote Area Medical
In downtown, the coffee shop is closed on weekends. Train tracks shine silver, polished twice each day. The Hall of Justice is the nicest new building in town. A lighted sign on Center Street advertises the free medical clinic this … Continue reading
My Father’s Memoir
In the last years of his life, my father wrote a series of emails to my oldest son, the oldest grandchild in the family. Dad copied me on his emails. He told me he would like for all of his … Continue reading
Reading in the Barn
It was a great experience attending The Frost Place Poetry Seminar in Franconia, New Hampshire in early August. This was my second time at the seminar, and second time reading poems in the barn behind Robert Frost’s house. See one … Continue reading
Another Essay on Gun Control
Do we need another essay on gun control? I don’t know, but none of the ones so far have done much good. Here’s my contribution to the subject: Risk Management, Tyranny, and Guns.
Another Eulogy
The first eulogy I had the honor to deliver was for my uncle. It was hard. On the way out of the church sanctuary, my father told me I had done a good job. I thanked him and said, “Just … Continue reading
Use Your Own Voice
When I was a midshipman at the Naval Academy in the 1980s, my classmates and I had to memorize the Academy’s honor concept. It has changed over the years due to scandals and periods of thoughtful reflection that followed those … Continue reading
A Few Poems
Exactly a year has passed since my last post in this blog. Fortunately, three online journals have given me some news to share. Four of my poems –“Cold Truth,” “Lost Things Are,” “Disappearing Ways,” and “Museum”—appeared in the Fall/Winter 2014 edition … Continue reading
A Milepost
I delivered my first eulogy this week. I would much prefer to have my uncle and godfather back among the living, in good health, but the sequence of life events leads in one direction. If you knew Charles Johnson and … Continue reading
Long time, no blog
An article in the New York Times on “slow blogging” inspired me to create this blog. I liked the idea of a slow blog because I did not like the idea of blogging every day, which is what I thought … Continue reading