poetic departure
a blank & empty slate
in need of the muse’s touch

poetic departure
a blank & empty slate
in need of the muse’s touch






Last week, we rented a cabin on a small, private lake north of Duluth, Minnesota. Here are a few photos of an 806-foot cargo ship sailing into the canal from the vast reaches of Lake Superior.
This was our first trip with Coco, our 5 1/2-year-old cockapoo. The little guy did quite well although, like us humans, he was no fan of the long seven-hour car ride!

I received a $2 payment – don’t laugh; most journals don’t pay anything at all! – AND a contributor’s copy in the mail today for two poems that I’d forgotten had been accepted – in JUNE of 2022!
The form is called scifaiku (sy-fi-KU) and the journal is called Scifaikuest. Here’s their blurb:
“Scifaikuest” is actually two magazines–one online and one print–specializing in scifaiku and other minimalist poetry forms forms, notably senryu, haibun, and tanka, as well as cinquains, fibonacci, etc. Both online and print magazines feature poetry and articles.
My poems, er, scifaiku, don’t appear online so here are a few snaps from their lovely journal. Thanks for looking! 🙂




four years running
thirty-one postcards
each 4×6 poetic canvas
NOTE: Here’s the link for the PPF for anyone interested in participating in next year’s Fest!!


another school year begins
new notebooks, pencils, backpacks
tiny feet running toward old friends

Chit Chat