Poem "Roots" in Poetica Magazine. Poetica is Available on Kindle.

We all have roots. We all come from somewhere. Like many children and grandchildren of immigrants, I am drawn to explore my cultural identity. If you've watched the TV show Who Do You Think You  Are  you will see the journey famous people take to find their roots. I am not famous so no one invited me to go on this show. I reflect on my roots, my ancestors, how I am shaped by who came before me.  I reflect through pictures, letters, bits of information handed down by my parents and relatives. I think about (imagine)what my ancestors believed, where they lived and  ask do I believe these things.When I look at old photographs from the 1800s, I search for physical resemblances.

My poem  in Poetica Magazine is about a longing to return to the "source" of who I am. Once you know that source moving forward in life becomes easier. Parts of yourself all come together in an Ah Ha moment. That has been my experience.


 Take time to read my poem and all the other poems and stories in Poetica.

http://www.poeticamagazine.com/2012summeredition.htm

Sean Thomas Farragher- Poet, Writer, Artist, Teacher, Editor, Friend RIP

Sean Thomas Farragher passed away this week. He was a mentor to me and a friend. From him I learned poetry’s (and all forms of writing) ability to show truth when the poet/writer is honest, often brutally honest. For Sean a poet's life was an open book. What does a finely crafted  work convey to others if honesty is not there. Sean's work was always honest. 

Sean  knew poetry. He taught it as a poet in the schools. He wrote it for over 40 years. He was the poetry editor of http://www.friggmagazine.com/ I wish I could find the e-mails  he sent me about line breaks and the breath or about William Carlos Williams. They were inspirational. I am still searching for them in my paper piles.

Sean knew life.  His life was full of varied experiences both joyous and heartbreaking, one was being  a medic in Vietnam. His life was too short. Sixty odd years seems short for man with such gifts and exuberance.  But who am I or anyone to say when a life is too short. For even if a life is a week or an hour, there is a purpose to it. Everything that sees the light of day has meaning.

Your life was a blessing to many, Sean.  Rip, dear friend.

Sean leaves behind admirers of his work, friends and family.
Sean's spirit lives on in his work, in his children, grandchild and all those who hold memories of him close to their hearts. Here are several links to his work. There are links to his Selected Poems online at the Poem Directory at each link..

http://seanfarragher.org/selectedpoems/snowman.htm
http://seanfarragher.org/selectedpoems/vietnamelegy.htm