The Poetry of R.E. Slater: Jan 14, 2015

"Autobiographies of great nations are written in three manuscripts – a book of deeds, a book of words, and a book of art. Of the three, I would choose the latter as truest testimony." - Sir Kenneth Smith, Great Civilisations

"I must write each day without fail, not so much for the success of the work, as in order not to get out of my routine." - Leo Tolstoy

I have never believed that one should wait until one is inspired because I think the pleasures of not writing are so great that if you ever start indulging them you will never write again. - John Updike

"The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it." - J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Poetry is the shadow cast by our streetlight imaginations." - Lawrence Ferlinghetti

[Note - If any article requires updating or correction please notate this in the comment section. Thank you. - res]

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

R.E. Slater - An Old Friend (a poem)

An Old Friend

by R.E. Slater

I sat behind my writing desk

as an old friend would

to discuss the day’s events,

ideas, or people I've met,

or odd assortment of complaints,

in whichever mood of tiredness,

happiness, torment,

or humor I bore

to its warm wooden surface

so thoughtful and reflective

of my many tempers

blessed or disturbed.

Daily it seems we converse

of this or that,

or that and this,

brooding upon the many items

that had befallen my wandering path

through the courses of the day

so that after a little while,

when tempers are tucked away,

and distilling moods inlaid in script,

I wearily leave its good-natured ear
to re-enter a madding world

deaf to my abandonment.

More reassured of my purposes,

having settled mine own responses

made surer in my heart

when none other had provided

the listening comfort

my weary soul sorely needed

during that hour of the day

when feeling overwhelmed

to life's desperate inquisitions

so harsh and unfeeling

to a hopeful heart wishing

only peace and contentedness.

- R.E. Slater

January 14, 2015
rev Jan. 29, 2015

@copyright R.E. Slater Publications