I am thrilled that Midwest Zen has published six of my shakuhachi poems, which were written in November 2017, during a self-imposed poem-a-day jag. I am grateful to editor Mark Howell for taking these poems. I still can’t play that damned flute!
O at the Edges
Musings on poetry, language, perception, numbers, food, and anything else that slips through the cracks.
O at the Edges 
Fantastic. I laughed aloud at the first, and found the frustration, what seems like some kind of temporal dissonance and interrogation of nature and self. This set is. Heavy. man. Loved it.
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Thanks, Rob. As a poet (and half-assed musician), I’m well versed (ha) with frustration. So glad it resonates with you.
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Works for me. Except when it doesn’t…
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Par for the course, sans golf.
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Congratulations on the publication of your poems, Robert! I got such a kick out of
“a wavering D followed by a goose
fart and spitting hamsters.”
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Thanks, Liz. In those days, the geese made many appearances, along with their hamster brethren. A virtual, auditory menagerie!
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🤣
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I remember these (well, all but one) – a treat to have them appear again! Congratulations – on your poetry and your increasing flute awareness.
The poem I don’t recall is Sasa Buki – with its incredible last stanza that serves as reminder that all one’s breath spits out – flute, voice, hrmphs – is wind that may well nudge another. [Reminder for me these days of compromising too many wannas into too few hours-per-day.]
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Good memory, Jazz! I think this was Sasa Buki’s first public appearance. It took a while to find a home for it.
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🙂
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Congrats, Robert.
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Thanks very much, Andrew.
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You’re welcome.
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These work so well together. I especially like “In the Garden of Wind’s Delight”–it is good to be sound. Yes. (K)
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Thanks, Kerfe. It is good to be! I’ve a chapbook of this series circulating out there in the world. Maybe it’ll land this year.
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If you can play one note you can play all the notes metaphorically…
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Ha! Then I’m quite good at metaphorically playing. By the way, I’m wearing my Batsu shirt today!
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Arigatou gozaimasu, Sensei…
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Congratulations again, Bob! My favourite is still “Ro”.
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Thank you, Lynne. Persistence and patience, paid off! After six years of hovering in the ether, “Ro” landed at the best possible place.
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Didn’t it though!
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🙂
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Wonderful! Congrats, Bob.
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Thanks, Ken.
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Congrats, Bob!
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Thank you, Dianne. I was very pleased with this acceptance.
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Ha! Love these! And as someone still trying to play a wind instrument, I recognise those noises!
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Thanks, Mick. Yes, those noises!
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Congratulations on the poems! I can play the flute for you, if you like, lol.
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Ah, music by proxy? 😄
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Love your flute poems and it’s nice to see a batch of them together, so good wishes on the chapbook.
As in the Valley of the Winds DeIight, I too spend times listening to the note’s past and wondering their future, time passes and I wonder if I ever heard the note itself.
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Thanks, Frank. Those notes are all so elusive!
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Congratulations, Robert!
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Thanks, Susi. It’s always a thrill!
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You’re welcome! 🙂
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Beautiful, as always. Congratulations, Robert!
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Thank you. I have a chapbook of these poems circulating out there. Who knows what will come of it.
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I’m looking in to see if I missed anything. That’s all I’m saying…..
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Hmm…well, I’m glad you looked in!
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