Why I'm doing this

For the past seven years, I have turned to poetry many times as a means to express emotions I may otherwise have repressed. I write for various reasons, often exercising little reason. Sometimes, I'm inspired by a fear I have, or by an anxiety, or by something that strikes me as amusing or ironic. I write when I am angry and I write when I am happy--and even, at times, when I've had one too many.

A great many of these poems allude to experiences my wife Patty and I have shared, or have hoped to share. There are some poems that bring me instantly back to places I have wanted to leave behind, and others that can cheer me up regardless of the depths of our hard times. I have tried, with varied success, to use poetry as a means to communicate with others, to demonstrate empathy and to express admiration.

I can't create a good painting or play an instrument; I'm pretty rough around the edges at home repair; I love sports but have never been much of an athlete; and, regrettably, I am brutally shy around much of the human race, in spite of what people might perceive. I don't even know that I'm especially good at creative writing...but at least it's something at which I feel moderately competent.

I'm posting these poems for a few reasons. First, Patty feels they are worthy of sharing, and I value her opinion more than that of anyone. Second, I have already lost several of my poems to computer failures, so this seems like good, preventive behavior. Finally, I feel like I want to share these experiences and memories with others, in spite of my reservations about how they may be received by some.

If you don't enjoy poetry, or if you don't wish to know what I think and feel, please don't read these poems. If you're of the mind that writing poetry isn't something that guys should engage in, please exit now.

With all these caveats, I hope you enjoy something you read here.

Brian

P.S. All of these poems are original works of mine, and therefore should not be reprinted without my permission; hey, they may not be great, but they're mine. Thanks.