Monday, May 9, 2016

Black Elephant Literary Journal Issue #2





Issue #2 of Black Elephant - A Literary Journal is out and they published my spoken word piece "Eulogy." 

You can listen to that here --> Eulogy 

Please check out the rest of the journal because it features poetry, fiction, audio and art. 


The editors and readers of Black Elephant are a collective of writers, at various career stages, who love literature. Some of them are involved in the field of Creative Writing academically. They have created a platform that uplifts peers and brings light to new voices. It is an homage to the many voices still waiting to be heard.

They publish online quarterly and print twice yearly. 

You can submit HERE


Sunday, May 8, 2016

The Vegetarian by Han Kang [Penguin Random House Book Review]




Han Kang, born in South Korea, winner of The Yi Sang, Young Artist and Manhae Literary Awards, as well as a professor in the Department of Creative Writing at Seoul, published her novel The Vegetarian in 2015 with Hogarth Press.

This novel received literary acclaim such as being similar to the writing of Franz Kafka to which I wholeheartedly disagree. While Han is an astounding writer and keeps the reader on edge, the ending falls horribly flat and leaves the reader not with choices or even thought, but any various ending one can imagine in their mind. This is not why I read books. If I must imagine an ending that the author is unable or unwilling to write, I might as well write my own book.

Kang is excellent at presenting a seamless story through the eyes of three people and leaves the reader compelled as to what will happen next only to leave the reader angry wishing they did not waste three hours of their life reading this book. If there were a sequel, the abrupt ending that goes nowhere is understandable, however, there is no sequel.  

 
 
 
 
 
I received this book from Blogging for Books  
 
 

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Alchemy


Published on MOGUL







Image © Mark Golding
 
 
 
Depths unknown
to all that travel my banks,
the lighthearted and weary,
righteous copulations of grace,
bent on knee, in prayer,
simultaneous, divine,
wild, unashamed.

I am, a river.

My waves rush, furious,
raging with disdain,
until the ebb and flow
settle softly,
joining tributaries
to rest precious feet.

Eons have waded
in my cool, jeweled streams,
unabashed, unapologetic.

Step with reverence, dear soul,
pure thirst is endless.

This is,
salvation.

As thrushes depart,
from throats, parched,
releasing weights trapped
within abdomens and attics
of the windows to the soul.

Great holy supplications,
rise as smoke signals,
above bank lined forests of siltstone
that adorns each side of me,
settling upon cloudbursts
of moss covered rocks
and trunks of trees,
felled in battle.

Thunder, I am.
A Valkyric call to arms,
jolting awake souls,
eyes flutter once,
raindrops assail rooftops,
like arrowheads lain lost,
lulling mouths to speak,
words, deaf to ears.

Climb, dear one,
upon rise of new dawn,
for I am, a mountain.

I am treacherous.
Footholds are unsecured
and gravel is enemy,
yet trust, that I,
hold dear each heart.

The limbs of the arms
of my brothers and sisters,
shall help halfway,
rising from dirt,
with the setting sun,
until the top is conquered,
with soul
bare and sweating,
to all that is, fire,
I am.

My torch, a lighthouse
for the lost and found,
the barely breathing,
the beggar and thief,
the lover and unloved,
the bleeding hearts that suffer
when I rage out of control,
taking with me
all of the hurt
of humanity.

Vesuviant waves of forests,
vanish,
like man taking man
with bullets, hot,
searing skin,
causing tears
to the bleeding hearts
that suffer
for their sanity.

I fill lungs with life, air.
Eternal conception rests, 
within my soft, sweet breeze
cooling brows,
beneath the unyielding force
of the great eye
of heaven.

I, urgently plodding,
grow in all seasons,
and travel time
that does not exist.
for I am, a root.

Arteries and veins
are pathways,
known only to those
that choose to see
that this world,
is but a photograph,
blurred.

I am Nature,
dear one,
eternal.

And in my wildness,
I am free.

And together,
we are

Mother,
Father,
Earth.
 
 
 

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Live From a Dojo: Reiki, Music, Healing, Laughter




Live from a Dojo after a Reiki treatment and guided meditation, with Ruben Zukowski, DJ, musician and Reiki Master, specializing in global fusion and sound healing. I speak of my experience this evening. 

This is a precious conversation that covers the basic tenements of Reiki, various healing modalities with a special focus on Ruben's musical talents.

We feature live bells, gongs and bowls that reverberated throughout the dojo.

Zuk is full of life and throughout this interview, we are laughing hysterically while speaking of deep spiritual truths, the power of thoughts, words, music, chakras, arts, and culture.



This interview was conducted during the early stages of both of our spiritual journeys. I will treasure this always.

Image © Ruben Zukowski - Grayn [grain] music






You can also listen HERE 

Please visit Unify Cosmos on Sound Healing HERE

[Holosync, Lifeflow, OmHarmonics – 3 Binaural Programs Reviewed.]