Since I seem to "talk about groups" here on this blog more often than on the AllThingsMike blog, which is proper, since the Poetry blog is always where I have listed the groups to which I belong (and talk about them), thought I would update "what's happening" these days concerning these wonderful, still free, methods of expression on the internet. I just joined a new group, PoetCircle, on Yahoo, and have "gone back" to an older group, run by Original Lufroloc (forgive me anyone "listening" but I will have to add the link to the O.L. group later, since I joined it from another "yahoo profile" and don't have the URL handy right now without signing out, signing in as another user, and then going to the my groups section as that user and finding the URL. Very time consuming, and then I'll forget the reason for this post as usual.
I just joined the first one this morning, and haven't posted there yet, as I'm soon off with my camera (exploits of which are detailed on the AllthingsMike blog. There, got that straight? No? Neither do I. Anyway.
Haven't written any new poetry since "Atocha" but I'm actually "planning" to write a reminiscence poem about Dan, a friend from Toronto, Canada, who battled lieukemia and won the battle, only to perish this past January because of complications arising from pneumonia. I didn't know about his death, until my roommate, who himself was just recently diagnosed with colon cancer, called Dan to tell him the news, and heard that Dan had passed away in January from his mother, who had recently lost her husband as well. Not too good news last weekend.
Back to groups. I've cancelled membership in a couple of "coffee klatch" groups, which simply do not interest me. I won't mention their links because I don't belong to them anymore, but I tried to "get involved" and couldn't keep up the pace. There's lots of "conversation" on these types of groups, but they aren't specific enough for me, and I don't feel good just posting poetry. On the other hand, they do fulfill a need for lonely and/or freindly people who like to "talk" to each other, sort of like "chat" which I've never liked either. I'd much rather people come to my website to "read me", and then email me personally if they want to have a "conversation". That this doesn't happen as much as I would like, and perhaps the "group experience" on coffee klatch type groups might drive people to my website, I usually find that this doesn't happen in the groups either, as the folks there are far too "busy" responding to the "conversations". Frankly, I just don't see how so many people can spend so much time on the computer. But for some, this is their creative outlet, and more power to them. Friendship is a wonderful thing, and interaction with humanity is why I put up my website. I even wanted a forum, sort of like my "internet island" idea, early in my involvement "online" but when I saw the amount of time I would need to spend in the endeavor, I decided that it was better just to try and maintain my own websites, when given the time, and not try to be a full fledged "member" of any online community.
Also, as I have mentioned in this blog many times in the past, I am a vocal individual with my own ideas and passions, and eventually I "upset" someone. I would rather post poems on the poetry groups than get involved in four or five way email conversations, when email exists if someone wants to write me personally.
(I actually feel rather badly about leaving one of these coffee klatch groups, but it grew too large too fast, and was starting to take too much of my time just attempting to read the posts, which must have taken the members hours to write. )
Can't let this post here end without mentioning the prolific and evocative writer Andrew F. O'Hara (the same Andy O'Hara who runs the Poetry and ShortStories 4 Daydreamers groups, which merit a mention here at least every other post or so (and are listed to the left in the links column) Andrew has published his first book, a colleciton of tales from the Sacramento Valley, called "The Swan". I purchased an "E-book" version of his first published work at www.1stbooks.com It is the first actual book I've read (albeit I'm reading it on the computer) in a very long while. It's a very good read, and I recommend it to any one reading this missive. The first story made me fill with the tears of mankind, and I actually had to compose myself and "rest" a while after I read it. Andy is a truly gifted writer, and I'm not saying this merely because he's one of my "internet friends".
Today is bound to be a beautiful day, and I'm gonna take some more pictures and post them on my Webshots gallery. I expect I will probably be "subscribing" to webshots, paying them thirty bucks a year, and posting most of my photos there, because I like the slideshow presentations better than on Yahoo (my current internet provider.)
As it is now 8am, and my battery has completely charged on the camera, this "poet" is going to turn into a "photographer" and go take some pictures.

I've just added the URL's to some of the poetry groups I have mentioned in the links section to the left. I'd been meaning to do this for some time, but got mixed up with the coding as usual, and finally "suceeded" tonight in making the links look as I want them to. I still can't get the background to match my website, but for now, the green background is okay. At least now I have the links to all the groups on which I usually post, except for New Poets, on AOL, which I just remembered, and will have to add later. But at least that link is in this post!

I am overwhelmed at my productivity for 2004

My ElectricMovies blog hasn't had a post by me since before the Oscars, but I've been "really busy" with these Poetry and Prose groups (now linked to the left) and the feedback is causing inspiration and productivity. Not much more I can ask for.

A poetic flower needs some water every now and then,
And words of recognition are the fertilizer
With these words the flower takes a pen
And murky thoughts then acquire a glorious golden vision

The flower of my being feels with fortitude and fellowship
And I am made whole and feel all the wiser
I give wholesome thanks to my wondrous readership
Which sparks in me a profound prolific decision

A poetic flower sometimes feels the wilt of neglect
Nothing seems to help to make the bud's bloom rise
And then in seeming vacuum praise bursts forth select
Spurring excellent rebirth of the supreme poetic condition.

On Thursday, March 11, just as on a September 11 not too long ago, terrorist fanatics saw fit to destroy many lives and attempt to kill a way of life. This time in Spain, not America, so our American media are not allowing the overall coverage that they would if it had happened in this country, however my heart is torn in half again, and I am awash with a "loss of humanity." Not only because of the 200 people killed in the bombings of four commuter trains, but because of the loss of humanity which affects the terrorists. At a time when, in my country, thousands of people are attending a religious movie, Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ", and feeling a renewed sense of religious and spiritual invigoration, certain factions of the Islamic world, these evil terrorist factions, are still killing many, and getting away with it. I certainly don't think this is a coming "holy war" or "jihad" as has been predicted. The terrorists are small insignificant cowards with big weapons and the means to sneak around and wreak havoc. Oh, that the inherent spirituality which caused Mel Gibson to create such a work of splendor and spirituality were at work in the Islamic nations so that good could and would conquer evil, and this senseless killing would stop.
I wrote a poem on March 13, two days after the attacks, and I titled it: "Por Que", or "Why" in Spanish.

"Por Que?:We are all on those trains: Atocha 3/11"

Quietude and solemn silences
Explosive carnage
A world bereft by evil dalliance
No end in sight.

Por Que? We ask
no one answers
As humanity suffers
Again and again
Yesterday and today
Ahora

The Murder of Humanity
Part two or two thousand
The Loss of Humanity's solace
Grief for mankind's folly
Por Que?
Por Que?
Around me daily life
Seems like all is just okay
But nothing is the same again
Por Que?

We are all on those trains
As they stop in their tracks
No reason for a future
No reason looking back

Lives are lost again
And again and again and again
Tonight will it be any different
tomorrow less than before
We ask the humane question
no one answers
Say again
Por Que?

No one is safe
No one ever is safe for long
A station in ruins
In which world do we belong?
The world will mourn again

And again
And again it will seem
Look to heaven and cry
And we still shall ask why
So let's stop and we'll pray
Por Que?