This book is the sacred medley of poems I've written over the last 35 years between 1989 - 2024. My muses mindfully nudged me to both tiptoe and fingertip my way into every corner of my life where I've stashed or given my poems - binders, boxes, computers, bookmarks, pockets, letters, cards, frames, friends, family, my car, under the refrigerator ...
I call this book Just Because Poetry because the poems chose to collectively present themselves as a memoir, and I believe in the power of "just because." I wrote them for joy, healing, creativity, centeredness, soul purpose poise, and because writing them felt good for feeling good's sake. The energetic frequency in all of my poems is peace for the planet. When we delve deeply into who we are, Earth thrives.
I realize how much time I've spent writing poetry. It's always been my go-to for grounding, sensing, intuiting, being, just because-ing ... Wordplay is my playground of choice. My poems certainly surf the spectrum of dreamy to dreadful, and dreadful to dire, both in content and format, but ALL of them are from my heart. I was born with a tetrameter beat in my heart, speech, word choice, and bicycle pedal stroke. Plus, my incessant use of alliteration is an authentic representation of my life and perceptions.
It's enlightening to go back and read my poems and remember the stage of my life when each was scribed, what inspired me at the time, and the memories, sensations, and emotional "embrace and release" imprints they stirred up. And what obviously were my favorite words at the time. Even those overused, but loved!
I didn't include a Table of Contents, and you'll notice there is no rhyme or reason to the order of the poems. Each one chose where to place itself in this book after having flown from its stashed place, and so be it. Some poems have titles and some chose to be title-less. Good for them for advocating!
I didn't edit as I embedded each poem here. There was indeed a nagging temptation to do so, but I surrendered the red pen to the "Leave It Alone, Already!" Abyss. And alas, it's quirky-joyous to notice the "misuse" of this and that grammar, spelling, or maybe I just wanted to be a rebel writer. Homophone confusions and the Oxford comma-or-not debate! Oh, how I've evolved, or not. Regardless, I hope both the bad and the good stuff inspires you to go radically rogue with your own poems. I intentionally dedicated LOTS of space throughout the book for YOU to personalize how YOU poetize! Be brave.
I recommend you write a book like this if you have poems stashed in every corner of your life. You are your own inspiration. You poetically empower the planet just by being you! Thank you for that.
