Lofty Is the Grace of God
What if there was a high that actually satisfied?
What if there was a hit
that didn’t need to always be repeated?
What if there did exist
such a state as perfect peace?
Well, hell,
that sounds an awful lot
like death to me
(and I’m not yet ready for the grave).
So pass the next dose this way,
and let’s soar
once more
toward the sky
in this never-ending search
for heaven here on earth.
Thank you to the editors associated with these 19 venues for accepting and/or publishing my work during the month of January:
Dissident Voice; Stanzaic Stylings; Visual Verse; Scarlet Leaf Review; GloMag; Stay Weird and Keep Writing; Piker Press; CTU Publishing; Torrid Literature Journal; Nats Writings; Setu Magazine; Novelmasters; Tuck Magazine; Where Are You From Anthology; Indiana Voice Journal; Peeking Cat Poetry Magazine; Whispers; Dodging the Rain; and The Electronic Pamphlet.
It was an honor to have Happy Hour Hallelujah featured as the book of the month in GloMag. Glory Sasikala is a kind and generous woman. Her magazine continues to shine and sing with each new edition. The write-up for Happy Hour Hallelujah can be read here. My poem “A Time for Everything” also appears later in the issue.
The most interesting event to take place during the first month of 2017 was one that didn’t actually happen. That is to say, I was invited to visit Silchar, India for a two-week residency, and to participate as a featured speaker at the Anuvad Arts Festival. Sadly, my schedule would not allow for such a trip at this time, or else I would be there at this very moment, as the residency began on the 1st of February. Even though I was not able to attend this year, it is still a humbling feeling to know that my writing is respected by contemporaries on the other side of the world. I hope (and intend) to one day travel to India so as to read poetry with all the great friends I have made there. In fact, I pray for (and act toward) the day when I will meet with friends from every continent upon this earth. The spirit of Renaissance is not deterred by oceans, but is surfing safely at the peak of roaring waves.
I read at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia a few weeks ago. A magnificent, beautiful building that creates a sensation of instant awe inside my soul each time I step through the front door. A recording of the event is posted here on my SoundCloud account.
Looking forward to more performances lined up in February, especially at the debut of an open mic poetry event that is being hosted by The Southern Collective Experience. This is the beginning of something magical. Anyone living in the greater Atlanta area is welcome to come and make merry. Shoot, there’s no need to limit the parameters on this celebratory situation. Both near and far, please come dance with us. We’ll surely have a time to remember.
17Numa 