JJJ Interactive Books

The Birdwatcher

I am reposting this poem in memory of my mother, who recently passed away after an almost two year battle with lymphoma. This is the first poem posted to my website. I wrote “The Birdwatcher” for and about my mom (an avid birder), as she began to lose strength and vigor in her fight against cancer.

No Control

I know it appears I am staring incoherently as I attempt to process the meaning of the jarring words I have just heard. I understand what is happening; likely better than the specialists surrounding my bed, uttering conciliatory words and promises. These well-intentioned men and women are determined to make me whole again. It isContinue reading “No Control”

Don’t Ask Me

What do you do when your friends call on you?

Maybe You Just Can’t

There are times when you just can’t.

A Fallen Leader

It all starts with a vigorous walk in the woods. An opportunity to stretch my legs and get my heart and lungs pumping after a prolonged period of sedentary isolation. I divert from my usual route (a wide, moderately traveled path) and follow a narrow animal trail along the creek. The diversion helps get meContinue reading “A Fallen Leader”

A Seed

A seed is a most unpredictable thing; dead or dormant or ready to spring. Yet no good seed will fully sprout in a toxic environment, inside or out.

In The Shadows

I look into the shadows And expect there to emerge a form; Something solid and substantial, But there is only blackness. A fleeting glimpse from the corner of my eye; I quickly turn my head, To catch the presence I know is there, But all I see is empty space. Lying in bed in quietContinue reading “In The Shadows”

A Mother’s Love

When did you become a man? Was it the day you decided to walk yourself to class? Leaving your mother behind, as you, still so small, took the long walk down the school corridor. Was it when you began to explore nature? Navigating the woods; catching critters in the creek. Was it when you discoveredContinue reading “A Mother’s Love”

When It’s There

When it’s there, it’s there. It clicks into place, A piece of a puzzle, Connecting a whole. A cognizant moment; An inexplicable bond; A strong attraction; An insistent pull. It cannot be forced; It cannot be avoided; It just happens, And you know it is there.

Imagination

A little imagination can go a long way; We find it in stories and use it in play. A leap in the air and with wings we do fly; We soar over treetops and swoop through the sky. A dive underwater sprouts fins on our backs; We swim past the mermaids; avoid shark attacks. AContinue reading “Imagination”