The Pulitzer winner's list came out today. Maurice Manning was a runner up for poetry. Here are four of his poems in text and with audio. I recommend reading them and listening to them at the same time. it goes down smoother that way I think. He sounds a bit like Mr. Rogers but he's grittier. His voice is the voice of Mr. Rogers and his words are the words of a wise guy. I'm taken by his work, so far (first four). He's conversational and clever like Billy Collins, but heavier and darker in the best ways one can be more-so heavy and more-so dark without being morose. I just read the last of the four. Strong, maybe too much. Perhaps I should give Kay Ryan another try. She was U.S. Poet Laureate and now won a Pulitzer so there may very well be more to her than I've been able to appreciate so far.

I wrote too poems today. My writing and sharing poetry brings me self pride. I published a book. It wasn't easy for me to make a decision to put something imperfect out there in the world. I did it. You can buy it directly from me (at a special price, maybe not the full Radiohead/In Rainbows approach but we can talk). You can also buy it here and maintain your anonymity while supporting Lulu a little more and me-me a little less.

Jump

Just doing is a fright,

Undressing, exposing all doubt, in the light.

Myopia dictates, "Stay in place."

People take heed or lose the life race.

Food

Fools eat their life away

Only to die hungry

Or to never live at all

David sings, "Taste G-d's goodness."