This book is still in the initial planning phase. I have written plenty of poems over the past two decades or so, but I haven't yet selected which ones will appear in this book.
Decluttering Triptych
=== Introduction ===
During February 2026, I was going through some boxes of papers and other items with the help of a professional organizer. Suddenly, in the middle of doing that, I was inspired to write a poem about what I was experiencing.
A few weeks later, I realized that the poem described only part of how I felt. Lying in bed one morning, I wrote a second poem on my iPhone. A few days later, I knew I had more to say, so I wrote a third poem.
I sensed that the three poems formed a complete set. I thought of the word, "tryptych," to describe what I had created. It's a word often used to describe graphic art, such as a set of three paintings that are displayed side by side, to form a whole, perhaps in a single frame. So, why not for poetry as well?
So, here they are:
A few weeks later, I realized that the poem described only part of how I felt. Lying in bed one morning, I wrote a second poem on my iPhone. A few days later, I knew I had more to say, so I wrote a third poem.
I sensed that the three poems formed a complete set. I thought of the word, "tryptych," to describe what I had created. It's a word often used to describe graphic art, such as a set of three paintings that are displayed side by side, to form a whole, perhaps in a single frame. So, why not for poetry as well?
So, here they are:
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Note: These three poems are meant to be a complete set. If you wish to read them aloud to others, please read all three in order, rather than just one ot two.
I also ask that you cite me as the author, and a reference to this page, here on my Message Rain Site (or in my forthcoming book, when I publish it). I hold copyright for them, but of course, excerpts, parodies, reviews, commentary, etc. are permitted under copyright law.
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Oh, and one more thing. I wrote the first one before the conjunction of Saturn and Neptune on the Feb. 20th, then the other two after that. I felt the shift that occurred at that point other ways. Things don't change all at once, of course; it may take years for us to see what unfolds. But I've always been something of an optimist and I am encouraged by progress being made. Big changes usually start out small, when few people are paying much attention (I think of two young men in a garage in Los Altos, California, in 1976 starting what became Apple Computer). No, we're not on the way to building the next huge corporation. But we are on the way to building an entirely new culture, world wide, based on generosity, mutual support, and networking.