W e l c o m e !   If you love to curl up with a good book, or lose yourself in a story or a poem, you have come to the right place.

Causes we believe in:  equal rights irrespective of race, religion, creed, gender, political affiliation, socioeconomic status, intellectual achievements, physicality, or 'who you know.'    Respect and compassion and appreciation of the arts in all their many forms -- and forms yet to come.   The peace that surpasses understanding, and the understanding that leads to peace.  The value -- indeed, absolute necessity -- of humor, and the right to weep.  The importance of treating children with love and respect.   Gentleness.  Generosity.  Marching to different drummers.   Pursuing dreams.  Caring for the natural world and recognizing that we are but a small part of it.  

Organizations that we support include ONE,  Feed the Children,  Mothers Against Drunk Driving,  Running Strong for American Indian Youth,
Paralyzed Veterans, the DAV, Americans for the Arts, Keep a Child Alive, and the Red Cross.

Our heroes include Eleanor Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus of Nazareth,  Martin Luther King, Jr.,  John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln,  Thomas Jefferson,  Nelson Mandela,  Sojourner Truth, Florence Nightingale,  and hosts and hosts of poets, writers, and artists, sung and unsung.  This is just a short list.  Think of what Pasteur did for us, and Jonas Salk.   We will be back with more thoughts along these lines.  Stay tuned!   

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See anything you like, bookmark me!

N: The review we just posted is re Richard Pelzer's  A Brother's Journey.  Perhaps you have heard of it.  If you have read Richard's story, you know how hard it is to find words that express the sadness and anger it evokes.  The abuse he endured was beyond horrible.  The fact that he survived -- indeed, triumphed -- is where we need to keep the focus.  The strength of the human spirit!

Poems posted thus far are "De-Iced, What Now" and "Your lap, Your Chinese Checkers."  Former's about a failed relationship,  lap belonged to my maternal grandmother,  Agnes Cox Wimberly, God rest her soul.  

Here is a poem I recently revised for the ninety-'leventh time. Love to have your opinion.


L o n e s o m e 

is
the click of the lock
on a door as it closes
in your face
then the chain slides home
is
the sliver of light
silence swallows
laughter leaving you out
all night whispers
is
dark torturing dusk
before moving in for the kill
raising gooseflesh
as it follows you to work
and back not seeing not
feeling not
but for shadows that stalk
as your feet grope a walk
all crumpled dirt mixed with rock 

not that one remembers
one remembers all right 

once silk sheets warmed
out of love
no more 

l o n e s o m e
is
no coat and your shoes have holes
and you are thinking of hanging
a black wreath
to stave off questions and collectors
is
new wheels and no one to pick up
new do and no one to look twice
new outfit  new club
even you don't look
is           
the long, low, moan
of a train going nowhere
and taking forever
under a pail handle moon
packed waiting room  
jetway  station  so called home   
stranger wearing love's necklace
ambulance like wail could be
fire truck
same old backyard barbeque
jokes  voices bar chatroom meet
in the basement of some church
is
a shriek from a child
torn into with a belt
or bloodied by a bullet
just happened to stray 

l o n e s o m e
is
the only one on the bus
driver yawning at the end
of the line it is two in the morning
and the houses and streets decay
out of fashion cemetery offers
tombstones losing to
vandals and weeds
bulbs flick dim yellow light
often no light at all 

l o n e s o m e  is

(c) Phyllis Jean Green, 2008

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E-mail's set up now.  Let me know if you find something to like . . or hate.  Be honest!.  Writers don't last long unless they are tough.  We are an odd combination of thin-skinned and iron-coated.   Hmmm.  Think I feel an essay coming on. 

More information at  http://www.authorsden.com/phyllisjeangreen  and  http://www.PublicLiterature.org .    Also,  http://www.angelsthatcare.org.
and Amazon and BookBrowse.