My dear, talented friend, Njord James created this ad for my book.  Generous on several levels as he is an author himself (The Vikings, The Story of the Maya, and coming September 1st, The Hidden Hollow.) Nevertheless, he took time away from touting his own work to tout mine.  What a guy!

http://madswirl.com/short-stories/2017/05/digging-the-day/



Creating "Digging the Day"

I had a great time writing this beat poem.  It's one of my longer efforts and it took several weeks of cajoling my brain to complete it.  Those who inspired it are long gone, but their brilliant writing lives on. (check the afterthoughts below)

Extract from "Digging the Day"

"Living alone without talk is how I feel my peace,
However, that moon in my head is now again speaking to me,
loud and with great truth,"

Afterthoughts for "Digging the Day"

“[...]the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!” 

Jack Kerouac-"On The Road"

Man is an artifact designed for space travel. He is not designed to remain in his present biologic state any more than a tadpole is designed to remain a tadpole. 

William S. Burroughs

“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by 

madness, starving hysterical naked, 

dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn 

looking for an angry fix, 

angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly 

connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night, 

who poverty and tatters and hollow-eyed and high sat 

up smoking in the supernatural darkness of 

cold-water flats floating across the tops of cities 

contemplating jazz, 

who bared their brains to Heaven under the El and 

saw Mohammedan angels staggering on tenement roofs illuminated, 

who passed through universities with radiant cool eyes 

hallucinating Arkansas and Blake-light tragedy 

among the scholars of war, ” 

Allen Ginsberg-"Howl and Other Poems"

Creating "Man In The Bath"

To some, it seems there is no other choice.  I did not know this man, but I wish I could have told him there was.


Extract from "Man In The Bath"

Published October, 2015 in "Blue Pepper."  My first ever published poem.  Thank you, Justin, I still love you for that.  The poem is also written in its entirety in "Big Questions, Little Sleep."

"This asylum,
Still shrouded in darkness,
Newly coated with red algae bloom,
Lies in wait,
For what, it's not known,"


Afterthoughts for "Man In The Bath"


Look for me in the whirlwind or the storm.

Marcus Garvey


The storm came. Lives were washed away. Ancient pains resurfaced. Now it is time for a sea of change.

Tavis Smiley


Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day.

John Wooden

This poem was published in the absolutely gorgeous GloMag on Sunday, July 16.  I feel so honored to have my work in the company of the brilliant and beautiful writing of so many other talented poets.

My Drawing:

Creating "Petals"

I wrote this one for my honey.  Enough said.
It was published in Blognostics.

You may read "Petals" in its entirety by clicking here:

http://blognostics.net/blognostics-an-innovative-experience-in-literature-poetry-and-art/2016/12/28/petals-linda-imbler/


Afterthoughts for "Petals"

Sensuality without love is a sin; love without sensuality is worse than a sin. 

Jose Bergamin

Love is like the wild rose-briar; Friendship like the holly-tree. The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms, but which will bloom most constantly? 

Emily Bronte

A virtuous character is likened to an unblemished flower. Piety is a fadeless bud that half opens on earth and expands through eternity. Sweetness of temper is the odor of fresh blooms, and the amaranth flowers of pure affection open but to bloom forever. 

Dorothea Dix

Creating "The Glass Windows behind the Plants"

My younger brother, Philip, left this morning to go home after a 4-day visit.  One year ago, he underwent surgery for the creation of a neo-bladder after cancer was found in his original bladder. This is very rough surgery.  I spent several days at the hospital with him post-surgery.  His recovery was slow and painful in the beginning.  I have a severe fear of heights.  He asked me to write about our journey up and down the hall as he got used to the "new him."

"The Glass windows Behind the Plants"

The Glass Windows Behind the Plants

They stood together in the hospital hall,

Each with a seemingly insurmountable fear.

He with a path so long, and the burden he carried so heavy,

She unable to lean forward from the eighth floor.

Together they promised each other,

One step at a time, one tile at a time,

Each step closer to the end of the hall,

Each tile closer to the window.

They began.

He went further,

She went further.

He channeled gazelles, swift and light,

She channeled eagles, high flying and fearless on the air.

His hospital gown trembled,

Her legs trembled.

At the end he’d walk the length several times

and had looked up and seen her smile,

At the end she had pressed her forehead 

against the glass and looked down

And he smiled back.

Afterthoughts for "The Glass Windows Behind the Plants"

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. 

Plato

I think fearless is having fears but jumping anyway.

Taylor Swift

I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship. 

Louisa May Alcott