Why

Have you ever wondered why?

It is my pleasure to share this debut collection of poetry. Words are escapes. Each poem is powerful. Brave. My own creation. A work of delight. Rich. Playful. Sometimes fragile. Erotic love alive to the world. Dizzying. Tangled. Some written as a young girl. Some homeless. Some in love. Institutionalized. I write you with the love of life. With confidence. The sparkle and glitter of poetry. A rare wine. A fortune. An expose of lifeblood. And a passionate love affair.

I leave these poems in your hands. Here is my poetry in motion. This is why.

We The People

Joanne S. Duffin’s poetry is a captivating fusion of the personal and the universal, delving into the depths of the human experience. Her verses touch upon matters of the heart, offer insightful observations of the world, and fearlessly tackle the pressing issues of our time, both within the United States of America and on a global scale.

As you turn the pages, you’ll find yourself immersed in the wonders and interpretations of the natural world, the joys of family, the treasure of discovered love, the journey of self-discovery, philosophical musings, political commentary, patriotic reflections, and the pursuit of justice. Duffin’s poetry also explores the complexities of friendship, the pain of loss, and the inevitability of death.

This groundbreaking work of fiction will captivate your mind as you traverse space and time alongside the author, who fearlessly delves into the very essence of self-expression. Throughout her poetry, Duffin never loses sight of the profound impact and influence of the past, acknowledging the experiences that have shaped her as both a writer and a human being.

Embark on this transformative literary journey with Joanne S. Duffin, and allow her unique voice to guide you through a landscape of beauty, understanding, and introspection, as her thoughts and words weave a tapestry of the human condition.

We Are All Equal in Ink

The day after his retirement, Chris suffered a haemorrhagic stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body. The language area of his brain was the most affected, depriving him of speech. To regain his most valued skill – to express himself with the written and spoken word – he had to begin again, re-learning words and their meanings, and to write using his left hand. His urge to use language as before was so strong that he was able to recover little by little what the stroke had cruelly taken away. It took two years until his abilities improved enough to be seated in his wheelchair to read and write. He never felt impeded by his disability. With a tape recorder, a notebook, and a typewriter, Chris picked up where he had left off – his inspiration awakened anew.

Waifs and Strays

These are short stories presented in poetic form. The cadence of poetry lends air and space to a story and heightens anticipation. There is war, loss, love and redemption in this work.

Accompanying these poems are some gritty short stories with twists as unexpected as a Twilight Zone episode. They are at times stark and unforgiving.

Victims and Perpetrators

Dive into the mischievous world of Victims and Perpetrators: Light Verse Judgement on the Criminally Inclined, where the lines between lawbreakers and law enforcers blur in the most whimsical ways. Through the masterful pen of John Gentry, a humorist poet with a penchant for the peculiar, this collection of poems invites readers on a rollicking journey through the underbelly of society, all from the safety of their armchairs.

From the tale of Felony Fred, whose criminal escapades are as endearing as they are egregious, to the saga of a hapless diner in Hard Rock, Idaho, Gentry crafts a universe where crime does indeed pay – in laughter and wit. Each poem is a vignette, a snapshot of life on the other side of the law, told with a twinkle in the eye and a tip of the hat to the absurd.

So, whether you’re a seasoned criminal mastermind looking to take a break from your nefarious activities, or a law-abiding citizen with a love for the lyrical, Victims and Perpetrators offers something for everyone. It’s a reminder that, in the end, we’re all just characters in the grand, ridiculous story of life – some of us just have better alibis than others.

Verses

Nothing in nature compares to the beauty of rainbows.

When they appear most feel, ‘Oh!’

They are signs that the rain has stopped.

Now people feel freer to go out to shops,

The flooded streets become more tame,

Children can go out to play games.

Most are once again bright eyed,

And see birds soaring throughout the skies.

And just maybe there are two beings,

At each end of the rainbow, connecting.

Venus - A Point of Expression

The monsoon rains come to our desert in the summer, when the temperature is highest. The winds shift to the SE, bringing moisture from both the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of California. The rains come as huge, black, thunder storms over the mountains, driven by vivid lightning and high winds. It also provides a magical drop in temperature. The magnificent odor of the desert after a rain is a rich, organic experience.

After the storm I sit on my patio, in the cool fall of night – watching the shadows changing on the mountains as the sun declines. Recently, after such a storm, the sun is dying in various shades of ocher and vermillion… The crescent moon rises, and the planet Venus soon follows. Venus is a bright diamond in the now black sky. I write in my notebook: Venus is a Bright Point of Expression in the Sky. Thus, a poem is born.

Varied Verse of WWA

Ogden Nash was the master of humorous poetry. His clever use of language and puns made many of us smile and see each day in a brighter light. While not all of his poetry was light-hearted – he could be somber and address disturbing topics – his writing was mostly joyful and witty. We still quote many of his beloved lines, like ‘Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker.’

This book contains a collection of his largely humorous poems, filled with frequent puns. Occasionally, you may come across a more serious selection that might make you pause and ponder. We hope some of these phrases resonate with you and perhaps stick in your mind for future use. Enjoy the poetry!

Useless Musings

As the hell year of 2020 was drawing to a close, and the collective anxieties of every able-minded person in America were making their threat whispers to never, ever go away no matter how many times you brushed your teeth, Jeffrey Eugene Hoch (the author of this book) had an idea. He would write a poem — or something approximating one — for every calendar day of the upcoming year of 2021. The main reason he wanted to do this was to keep his artistic conscience from atrophying across another potential year of emotional isolation, illness avoidance, and embarrassing cult stupidity.

There was some distant hope that something positive would come out of the process, but that something was unknowable and not even particularly hoped for by the author. A year of video games, whiskey, dates, and deli orders later, Useless Musings was “finished.” More accurately, it could just no longer be truthfully worked on because 2021 was over.

Anyway, the results of this year-long whatever-it-was are documented here for you to read and maybe have some sort of emotional reaction to. These “musings” felt pretty “useless” as I was writing them (Hi, it’s me, Jeff), but maybe you’ll enjoy them. That would be cool.

Tuk with a Red Scarf

Dive into a heartwarming journey of miracles, divine twists, and a dash of luck in this captivating tale. Meet Tuk, a charming black Labrador adorned with a red scarf, whose simple act of curiosity sets the stage for an extraordinary adventure when he wanders off through an open gate. Left behind is the irritable Scottish Terrier, Scotty, unwittingly embarking on a chain of events that intertwine fates and unveil the tender magic of serendipity. From mistaken identities to life-saving encounters, discover how a single inadvertent moment can unfurl a tapestry of heartening tales. Tuk with a Red Scarf is a true story which celebrates the unassuming yet profound impacts of everyday actions, promising to keep you enchanted till the last page.

To Touch a Heart

To Touch a Heart is a heartwarming collection of poems that reflect the sincere joys and struggles of everyday life. With touching verses about family, friendship, childhood memories, and the passing seasons, this little pink book invites readers into quiet moments of meaning. While the wider world calls for our hurry and worry, these poems offer respite, beauty, and a tender glimpse of the humanity in us all. Readers will find humor and wisdom within these pages, and perhaps see their own story reflected. More than pretty words that rhyme, these poems aim to delight, to console, to inspire. For any seeking more gentleness in life or longing to be understood, To Touch a Heart offers a sweet retreat where poetry still blooms.

Thrown Out of Eden

“Poetry is the soul’s melody; sometimes harmonious and flowing, other times stark and discordant, much like a symphony stepping out of time.”

Just as Thomas Paine’s words were essential to the American Revolution, so were the verses of luminaries such as Sophocles, Homer, and Tennyson, to Frost and Longfellow. With their profound insight, these poets captured the quintessential human truth, shaping it into timeless verse.

From ancient bards to modern-day wordsmiths, a poet’s voice must never be stilled. Silence seldom brings healing; it often breeds complacency and indifference.

My city, Dallas, stands testament to this, its heart still shadowed by the tragedy of 1963. Only through introspection, voiced through words, can we find reconciliation. As the victim of that fateful day once stated, “When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.”

Poetry, like a clarion call, resonates across ages, cultures, and oceans, weaving tales of humanity, imagination, and commentary.

Some writers perfect punctuation, others master grammar, but when I wield words, I strike with the might of a sledgehammer!

Dive into this collection at your pace, let it stir thoughts, evoke reflection, and gift you moments of sheer poetic pleasure.