This is my first post in about six weeks. I have come to accept that I can’t post a new poem every week as I did for the past year because (a.) I will eventually run out of new poems; and, (b.) doing so is simply too time-consuming. Truth be told, I’ve also been feeling a bit overwhelmed. I had knee replacement surgery in the spring, and until recently my knee did not seem to be getting any better. Walking with a cane, struggling to get out of a chair, and in general lacking the energy to live my normal life was both physically and mentally exhausting. I got by only with the help of family, friends, lovers (ok, my wife) and kind strangers. Fortunately, a week or two ago I began to notice improvement. It’s still a struggle but I am now confident that this, too, shall pass.

Rather than posting to this blog, my priority has become to whip a collection of poems into some sort of publishable form. That goal has been largely accomplished in the past two months. I worked with a poet/editor in Arkansas and now have submission-ready versions – both electronic and spiral-bound – of the book I would like to see birthed. To add some icing to the cake, a friend recently produced a few illustrations to accompany some of the poems. It suddenly feels as if the whole darn project is coming together. Next is to find a publisher, and I can now begin working towards that end.

So whither goest this blog? I’m not entirely sure right now. I’ll post something from time-to-time and hope to stumble upon a regular format and schedule. But no promises and no expectations for now; ok? Let’s just see where things go. Thanks for visiting and please stay in touch.

This post’s poem is perhaps not a world-beater, just something that caught my attention while I was looking through various folders. God Bless us all.

FOR EVERYTHING A SEASON
 
We pay a price for getting older 
and when the bill is almost due
we begin at last to eat right, 
we exercise, stop smoking,
cut back on booze - 
some quit altogether.
We pray and meditate
because we read somewhere
being spiritual prolongs life, too.
 
But time takes its toll
and at the end of the night,
as the lights go down
and we scramble 
for one last dance
with that boy or girl
on the other side of the gym,
it dawns on us all
that the time draws near
to split receipts with the band.

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Joseph Neely, all rights to original material reserved.