Poems of the Fire

The campfire that started on November 8, 2018, burned the town of Paradise, California. It was California’s deadliest forest fire, leaving thousands of people homeless with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Not only did it destroy my home, but most of my town. I escaped with my life, and that is what inspired my poems. These poems helped me to express my feelings deeply on paper.

There were so many people trying to leave town at the same time, and it was bumper to bumper. The fire was moving so fast that several people were burned in their cars. People were abandoning their cars and running down the street on foot. This fire brought many people closer together than ever before. We all had to start over again with nothing.

The reason you are reading these poems is that I woke up much earlier than usual on the morning of the fire and wandered down the hall to the kitchen. The clock said 7:00 am, and I never get up that early. I felt so good I decided to stay up, make some coffee, and enjoy the early morning, which I never do. When the phone rang, the voice on the other end said to ‘Evacuate now!’ These poems will take you on a journey as I found new hope and a new beginning. I hope you enjoy what I have composed.

Poetry Collection

Delve into a poetic tapestry that weaves the myriad facets of life’s journey. This collection resonates with human emotions, offering solace to souls seeking comfort and connection. Inspired by everyday moments and the indelible impact of loved ones – both present and departed – these verses are a testament to the beauty and complexity of existence. Embark on a literary voyage, and may you find as much joy in these pages as I found in penning them.

Poetsy II

If I knew how to draw a picture of how I feel, I would pick up a pencil and paper and begin sketching.

If I were capable of sculpting a solid figure of my thoughts, I would grab a hammer, some stone or granite, and start chiseling away.

If I could choreograph a dance or even a fight explaining what I want to say, I would rise, do some warmup exercises, and start moving.

Since I am able do none of these things, but I can write in a way that happens to have a rhyme and rhythm to it, that’s exactly what I do.This is to place into the world the love, despair, and everything in between that would otherwise stay hidden inside, where it would do very little good. I believe everyone can find such an outlet, a medium or forum that allows us to feel freedom.

Polly

Polly spent most days sitting alone, sadly looking at her reflection in the mirror. Countless lonely hours were spent trying to figure out why all the squirrels in the forest refused to accept her. In the mirror, she saw long curly eyelashes with huge eyes. Her fur was soft and silky with unusual highlights. It varied in color depending on how the sun beamed on it. The fur underneath her belly was as white as snow. Her tail was long, full, and bushy. As she continued to observe her reflection in the mirror, she became painfully aware of the striking differences between her and all the other squirrels. Just like all the other squirrels in the forest her mother had the same small black eyes, dull gray fur, and semi-short less bushy tail. Even her mother was baffled by her unusual features.

Polly’s plight will illustrate to you how children today will take any characteristic or any physical differences and find fault to make fun, taunt, tease, and sometimes brutally attack you. This can be the cause of low self-esteem, fearfulness, and sadness all because someone dislikes you because you are different. I remember growing up in a community where my peers taunted me about the tone of my skin. Unfortunately, rejection, snubbing, teasing, and taunting still exists in the form of bullying and it’s even more prevalent today.

As you read Polly’s story you will see how one little squirrel gained respect and friendship from her peers through her selflessness, bravery, and courage. Her peers will learn a valuable lesson in pre-judging as it pertains to someone because of their nationality, physical appearance, race, or ethnicity.

Porcupine's Dream

In this imaginative Clarke Fable, your child will learn the lesson of self-acceptance.

The sleepy little porcupine finds that what makes her unique, makes her wonderfully special.

Be sure to watch for the bluebird who hides in and out of the story’s colorful pages!

Positive Thinking As a Way of Life

Penned with a profound desire to aid individuals grappling with mental hurdles like depression, dwindling motivation, and self-assurance, this book serves as a companion in your journey towards self-betterment. Through its affirming lines and a special emphasis on the EODs - daily nuggets of positivity, the author aspires to instill a renewed sense of self-worth, nudging you to stand tall, gradually bolstering your confidence and self-esteem with each passing day.

In the face of today’s global adversities, the narrative underscores the essence of daily self-care, urging not only personal adherence but also the encouragement of loved ones to embrace this nurturing practice. It is a clarion call for humanity to not merely endure, but to flourish and thrive, making the most of our everyday lives.

Powder River, 1957

“The year my mother left us, my father found a dog along the highway just outside of Powder River.”

Thus opens the beginning of sixteen-year-old Matthew Christman’s account of his senior year. Reeling from his loss, Matthew struggles to make sense of the adult world into which he has been forced to enter prematurely. He faces other losses, foremost among them his innocence, as he tries to figure out the difference between being a man’s man, or a good man like his father.

The threat of death is ever present for Matthew as he learns the value of love and friendship in his journey to find his way in a world fraught with unpredictable challenges.

Power Spiritual Stories

These one hundred stories, born from three decades of spiritual pursuit, were chosen for their profound impact. Stories can be life-changing. It is often said that the shortest distance between a human being and truth is a story. In a world filled with untruths, stories help us discern what to believe. They allow us to explore different thoughts, perceptions, and actions, encouraging us to adopt new attitudes and choices. They provide a new way to interact with the world and others. These stories possess a power beyond words, connecting deeply with the brain and touching the soul. They carry messages from God that illuminate darkness and bring transformation. Stories can shift our paradigms, stimulate new perspectives, and help us transcend the physical to go beyond apparent facts.

Pride and Prejudice Among the Stars

Earth’s first contact with extra-terrestrials, requesting permission to land on Antarctica to repair one of their three ships, proves to be a potential extinction event for the human race. When a nuke, and missiles, prove to be futile against alien defensive screens, Earth’s last hope is put in the hands of a six-man Navy Seal team. Cody Hawke leads his team to the site, and they damage the annihilator weapon as it is fired, but the team and much of Earth’s population is wiped out. Twenty-five years later, another alien ship arrives with damage caused by an attack from Horde ships, from another galaxy.

Setting down near the three Zirralonian war ships, they discover the damage done to the planet, whose existence is new to them. Reptilian scientists use regeneration transference to animate three earthlings whose bodies are frozen in the ice. Though the bodies are supposed to be temporary shells without awareness, used for scientific study, they prove to be much more. Is it possible for a technologically-challenged Earth to help advanced friendlies defeat the even greater tech of another galaxy?

Princess Maya

To ensure the presence, long and productive lives of bees

we must be kind to them

by providing a friendly habitat.

Building hives and having natural settings,

like logs, and old trees,

will keep them safe and warm.

Growing a variety of flowering plants

that bloom throughout all seasons

will enable them to collect nectar and pollen.

Honeybees are not the only one pollinators.

That delicate job is also done by butterflies,

bumblebees, hornets, flies, ants,

mosquitos, lady bugs, and others,

but honeybees are the only one who share with humans

their product of labour - honey.

Privateer Princess

In Privateer Princess, Reginald is determined to bring down the notorious thief Bane, but he can’t seem to catch him. He knows he needs to play by the rules, but breaking them has become a habit. To finally catch Bane, Reginald sets his sights on his hideout, but first he needs to discover its location. With a stowaway on board, he must keep his crew and the passenger safe while stopping a dangerous criminal.

Meanwhile, Leora has always followed the rules, but when it comes to matters of the heart, she wants to take matters into her own hands. She sets out on a mission to find her lost love, which leads her on an adventure across the galaxy. Alongside the crew of the Nero, she uncovers a world filled with deceit, slavery, and danger.

As Leora tries to save her people and her heart, she must navigate a treacherous path to find the one she seeks. Will she be able to find her lost love, or will her destiny take a different turn? Privateer Princess is an action-packed novel filled with adventure, danger, and romance that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Prose and Conflicts

Prose and Conflicts is a collection of poems dealing with everyday questions and observations on life and beyond, nature, entertainment and other poignant issues, such as religion, politics and more. A myriad of ideas, the poems span different styles to guide the reader on a journey of thought with reality, humour and angst, all written while taking time to smell the roses.