I reached up and debilitating pain hijacked my grasp and then fell into a burning prison buried in the core of my spine. I was in serious trouble and this bone splintering event changed the course of my life. At first, doubt became my mantra, pain was my constant companion and a simple infection would wrap it up for me. My dilemma was how do I change my direction without losing focus on all those so called "important" aspects of my existence? My new path would need to bypass my old ways and accept the burden of disease. Physically I was a disaster but determined not to let illness destroy my mind. Prose and poetry became my new companion and weapon.

Doubt in my ability to write though was initially an obstacle to making my thoughts and emotions find paper. Words were like weapons that protected my mind. They could provide me the means to remain in the battle that my body wanted so much to loose. I took the first leap with my memoir 'Hope'. It touched on my life experience when this second cancer tried to take me down for round two.

Like so many others I was often tempted to use the beauty of the written word to share my feelings or just tell a story. Sometimes one has to be backed into one of life's tragic corners where written words are needed to break out. The second cancer event fired the glowing ember to write that burned within me. My frugal words would certainly not make me immortal but have given me an opportunity to live the gift of every day. Like so many other writings, excluding the great ones, my attempts will end up on a dusty shelf with the pages untouched and fading away. My true living on beyond my short visit here on mortal earth does not live in a book, trophy or award but lives in what values we instill in our children. If one written word I share can help another that consequence will be the fulfillment of my life. My words I pray then will continue to echo into following generations.

I believe writing should take the form of speaking to readers with them not having to search for some obscure inner meaning. Clarity is my goal in my prose and poetry. Hopefully my readers discover a bit of me in every stanza and paragraph penned by me.

My poem 'chords' may sum up best how "words beat across my mind " help me share my life with others.

'chords'

My bodies strength limits me,

my mind still strains to roam,

seeking far places, sometimes all alone.

Written words lift me away

with verse floating my wings,

soaring me to people, places, things.

A world uplifting, a world sometimes sad,

good and evil do exist,

ripe for metaphor to convey another twist.

Poetry can touch the world

and shakes perception free

with acuity eyes may refuse to see.

Ideas arrive lacking any form,

words beat across my mind

waiting for me to add some rhyme.

Sharing notes of experience

can be the keys of life melody,

poetry provides the chords.