Tuesday, October 24, 2017

STARVING ACTIVIST?

Go to YouTube Trailer


     Over the past few years, I have created an online suite of my music, nonfiction articles, fiction, poetry and illustrations, and I have invited everyone to enjoy it for free. Now, unfortunately, I am too sick to work regularly due to a chronic illness, and I no longer have a stable income. On top of that, my wife of thirty years recently left me to rekindle a teenage romance, a turn of events that remains a shock.
     Instead of crawling into a black hole, I have decided to be proactive about my survival.
     I have established an account with Vimeo On Demand to sell video books containing my music, writing, and illustrations. So far, I have created over a dozen video books ranging from children’s stories, nonfiction articles, short stories, poetry, and a short novel. I plan to release a new video book every week, which I will feature on this site.
     This week, I am featuring a children’s book called Claire’s Musical Journey on this blog, and on a companion blog, for one time only, I am featuring a video book with vocal music that explains the reasons for the break up from my point of view, called 30 Years of Marriage in 14 Songs. I have provided a link to the trailer under the illustration at the top of the page and another link to Vimeo On Demand at the bottom of the page.
     I plan to sell each video book for $25.00, which I believe is a fair price since I have spent countless hours over many years working on the music, text, and illustrations. Some of you know that I have been an environmental activist for over thirty years as well as an artist in one way or another since I could pick up a pencil. It is obvious to most, I’m sure, that a person cannot be an activist, writer, composer, painter, photographer and blogger if he doesn’t have any money.
     I am not asking for charity. The video books that I have created are of the highest quality and I can say without boasting that they are unique. No one else to my knowledge has created works of art containing their own music, writing, and illustrations. They are worth checking out—and worth the price.
     Support the arts. Support involvement in the democratic process. Check out the video books ….Go to vimeo.


Tuesday, February 14, 2017

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, 2017

Rivulet Eroding Old Road

For Sylvia

The storms have knocked down many trees.
A spate of rain water digs a deeper chasm
In the old road. Fresh grass flourishes
In the ancient trails, the first fiddleneck

Unfurling near house pits. A newt plods
By a mortar brimming with rain water
And plops into the swollen creek,
The pounding stone under a fallen oak.

Newt next to Mortar in Pounding Stone

Suddenly I see a whole tribe of newts
In the shallows, some of them looking up
At me.  They seem to shout: We are back—
The world is fresh again. You are free

Of history. Whatever ill you have done
Out of fear or in the name of love
Is utterly forgotten. Go, cleanse
Yourself every moment in the world.