On December 31, 2018 my poem entitled “The Blooms” was published in the Flying Island Literary Journal.  You can read it here.

Until that final day of 2018, this blog had been the only place of publication for my writing.  Reaching a point to self-publish my work was an experience of courage.  Having a poem published in a literary journal was an experience of validation.

“The Blooms” came about while I listened to the album Autumn by solo piano artist George Winston.  The sounds swirling through my ears met with the simple thought that Winston is also brand of cigarettes.  Suddenly, the music became a plume of smoke rising out of a piano.  Sound translated into a vivid visual experience, eventually escaping mental boundaries to create full-body sensations.  It was all quite a ride and capturing a representation of it in the poem remains very gratifying.

If you are not familiar with the music of George Winston, I encourage you to listen.  A few YouTube users have uploaded the full Autumn album.  The tobacco version of Winstons are best left to mental imagery.