“…the prayers of the millions…”…John Steinbeck’s view

“…the prayers of the millions…”…John Steinbeck’s view

the humanity…

 

 

“Ah, the prayers of the millions,

   how they must fight and destroy each other

      on their way to the throne of God.”

 

We always think of our prayers as singular events…

 

 

From Tortilla Flat in The Short Novels of John Steinbeck

by John Steinbeck with an introduction by Joseph Henry Jackson

New York: The Viking Press, orig. copy. 1953, 1963.

527 pages

quote from p. 18

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Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2025 All rights reserved.

 

Seeing far: Selected poems with 47 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

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the tree, you, the artist…“morph,” my poem

the tree, you, the artist…“morph,” my poem

transitions

 

 

morph

 

Another leaf drops from the tree.

Watch it skittering down.

The next leaf will fall

   to another bare spot,

a new herald of the new season.

 

Like you, the tree is changing—

 

Was it your self who saw

   the first leaf fall?

Is it the same tree now,

as afternoon begins?

 

Yon artist arrays a new canvas

   on her gear,

she sets the first one aside, in view,

she thinks to paint the tree again

   with more autumnal hues,

she swabs her brush

   and makes a bobbing leaf,

intent on making it real—

 

The tree gives up the leaf she saw,

a new bird perches on the highest twig,

when will she know

   that she’s painting a different tree?

will she know that her other self

   was the painter in the morning?

 

November 3, 2024

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My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2025 All rights reserved.

 

In other words: Poems for your eyes and ears with 64 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

 

Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.

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“Rocks and ripples,” they keep going (a poem)

“Rocks and ripples,” they keep going (a poem)

into tomorrow…

 

 

Rocks and ripples

 

I tossed that rock far out,

in the middle,

not as far as I could throw,

but out there,

and then I watched the ripples,

in a wind-shaped circle,

fading to dimples soon enough

   but not quite wiffling into nothing,

and I could see, for a moment,

how that rounding pulse

   would keep going

      after I turned away…

 

August 22, 2019

Inspired by “Read my rocks” by Ellie Shumaker, age 13

in 2019 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

 

My poem “Rocks and ripples” was published in my fourth collection of 55 poems, As with another eye: Poems of exactitude.

You can buy it on Amazon (paperback and Kindle),

or get it free in Kindle Unlimited, search for “Richard Carl Subber”

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My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2024 All rights reserved.

 

Book review: Saint Joan

by George Bernard Shaw

click here

In other words: Poems for your eyes and ears with 64 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

 

Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Sarah Orne Jewett: Novels and Stories…book review

Sarah Orne Jewett: Novels and Stories…book review

give “…Pointed Firs” a try

 

 

Book review:

Sarah Orne Jewett: Novels and Stories

 

by Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909)

New York: Literary Classics of the United States, 1994

937 pages

 

Never heard of Sarah Orne Jewett? Give her prose a try.

Jewett’s characters are persuasively human—they are credible if not always completely likable. Her prose offers recurring truths about the human condition. It’s easy to feel good about her storytelling.

This Novels and Stories collection of course includes “The Country of the Pointed Firs,” Jewett’s first-rate short novel. You’ll also find “Deephaven,” the Dunnet Landing stories, and others.

“…Pointed Firs” is an 1896 novel that describes some of the people and places of coastal Maine, and tells their stories with comfortable familiarity, reflective insight, and respectful love.

Can an old fisherman’s consuming memories of his departed wife bring tears to your eyes?

Read the story and find out.

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Book review. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2024 All rights reserved.

 

Book review: Shakespeare’s Wife

Germaine Greer went overboard a bit…

click here

My first name was rain: A dreamery of poems with 53 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

*   *   *   *   *   *

Roosters scream to start the day…

Roosters scream to start the day…

roosters know much…

 

 

An anonymous and potentially wise person said:

 

“The older I get, the more I understand

why roosters just scream to start their day.”

 

…and one of my top favorite authors says she’s learned from others about the merits of this quick morning prayer:

“Whatever!”

 

I used to recite this one when I rolled out of bed:

“It’s show time!”

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Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2024 All rights reserved.

 

Book review: The Sea Runners

…it informs, but it does not soar…

by Ivan Doig

click here

My first name was rain: A dreamery of poems with 53 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

*   *   *   *   *   *

Whack!…the old glove…my poem

Whack!…the old glove…my poem

a good glove gets old…

 

 

Whack!

 

Funny how it still fits my hand

   after so many years,

I remember the stitching

   and the thick pad at my palm.

It’s a “Rickey Henderson” glove,

I forgot the name.

 

The thing is,

a good glove gets old

   but it’s still good,

the whack of a line drive

   in the pocket

      still sounds big,

you whack your hand

   into the pocket

      ten thousand times,

and the last one

   still feels good,

and when my son,

a man now,

says “Dad, here’s your glove,”

he means:

“Here’s the glove

   you let me use

      a couple times

         instead of my kid glove,

I always wanted

   to have this glove,

and now I do,

but you can use it

   for a while…

it’s still yours.”

 

August 17, 2024

 

your grandson probably can throw better than you…

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My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2024 All rights reserved.

 

Old Friends (book review)

Tracy Kidder tells truth about old age…

click here

My first name was rain: A dreamery of poems with 53 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

 

Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.

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