Sherry: H, it is so nice to be chatting with you. First, tell us about the truth, joy and wonder. I love that outlook, having lived much of my life in a state of wonder.
H: Hi Sherry. I
was delighted with your invitation and appreciate the opportunity to wonder
with you and this great community at Poets United. About my name,
I believe that
truth, joy & wonder, among other things, are experiences that unite us and
in ways that can uplift us and move us forward. And I’m using these terms in
their larger senses. So, I’m exploring what might be universal truths beyond
the minutiae of everyday life. Truths that centre us, bring us into balance and
guide us to a loving worldview. And joy, in my view, is a great deal more than
mere happiness. It is the feeling you embody when your thoughts, beliefs,
circumstances, words or actions are consistent with what is true.
And then there is wonder which, when practiced, opens our minds and hearts, inspires new creations or solutions, helps us understand each other and ourselves, moves us to care about things outside ourselves and deeper within. It helps us discover potential we wouldn’t otherwise know we have. My hope is that some of my writings on these themes might inspire curiosity about interconnectedness and possibility and the value in seeing ourselves in each other.
And then there is wonder which, when practiced, opens our minds and hearts, inspires new creations or solutions, helps us understand each other and ourselves, moves us to care about things outside ourselves and deeper within. It helps us discover potential we wouldn’t otherwise know we have. My hope is that some of my writings on these themes might inspire curiosity about interconnectedness and possibility and the value in seeing ourselves in each other.
Sherry: I could not agree with you more! Tell us about yourself, won't you? Where on the planet do you
live? With whom do you share your life? (Don’t forget the pets!)
H: I would never forget the pets! I have the great privilege to live in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. I share life with my wife who is incredibly funny, intelligent, kind and cosmically bonded to every furry being. Speaking of furry beings, we are occasionally granted some space on the couch by our two precious pups.
We have a husky mix, Tupelo (“Fur Pants”), whose favourite catch phrase is “I do what I want.”
Then we have a Formosan mix, Finnegan (“Love Sponge”), whose favourite catch phrase is “grrrr”. The irony is not lost on us.
Romy and I on a ski day on Cypress Mountain
H: I would never forget the pets! I have the great privilege to live in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. I share life with my wife who is incredibly funny, intelligent, kind and cosmically bonded to every furry being. Speaking of furry beings, we are occasionally granted some space on the couch by our two precious pups.
Tupelo admiring the wildlife
on Saturna Island
We have a husky mix, Tupelo (“Fur Pants”), whose favourite catch phrase is “I do what I want.”
Finnegan reminding us
it's time for his afternoon cookie
Then we have a Formosan mix, Finnegan (“Love Sponge”), whose favourite catch phrase is “grrrr”. The irony is not lost on us.
Flyer keeping an eye on me
And I have to
mention my canine soul-mate, Flyer. She was with me for 15 years. Sweet,
soulful, sensitive and ever watchful…those blue eyes! So grateful that I got to
be her person.
Sherry: Such beautiful doggy faces! The "treat" face especially knocks me out. And, as you know, I had a wolf-dog soulmate too, so I completely understand what Flyer means to you. Sigh.
When did you begin writing, Heather? What came first, poetry or prose? What do you love about poetry?
H: I started writing songs when I was about 11. Apparently, I sang in my crib before I could talk, and I always loved music. I really wanted to write good songs, so I resolved to keep writing bad songs until something I liked emerged. I became very passionate about writing songs, and it wasn’t long before I was equally enamoured with writing poetry.
Sherry: Wow. That is cool. Was there someone in your life you believe had a significant influence on your becoming a songwriter and poet?
H: Absolutely! My grade 7 English teacher was a very important figure in my life. She gave me and my classmates lots of opportunity to write. More importantly, she gave me a great deal of encouragement, and spent extra time with me when my home was troubled. She gave me a sense of stability and self-worth and she believed in the value of my writing. I think that probably solidified my life-long habit of turning to verse to express those things that feel otherwise beyond words.
When did you begin writing, Heather? What came first, poetry or prose? What do you love about poetry?
H: I started writing songs when I was about 11. Apparently, I sang in my crib before I could talk, and I always loved music. I really wanted to write good songs, so I resolved to keep writing bad songs until something I liked emerged. I became very passionate about writing songs, and it wasn’t long before I was equally enamoured with writing poetry.
Sherry: Wow. That is cool. Was there someone in your life you believe had a significant influence on your becoming a songwriter and poet?
H: Absolutely! My grade 7 English teacher was a very important figure in my life. She gave me and my classmates lots of opportunity to write. More importantly, she gave me a great deal of encouragement, and spent extra time with me when my home was troubled. She gave me a sense of stability and self-worth and she believed in the value of my writing. I think that probably solidified my life-long habit of turning to verse to express those things that feel otherwise beyond words.
Sherry: They say it only takes one adult believing in a child to encourage and ensure their success in this world. She sounds like a wonderful mentor.
Your About page states you are a lover of prose, poetry and song. Tell us about your music.
A much younger me singing with
The Artie Ball Swing Band
H: Music is always swirling around in my head. I write more poetry than songs at the moment, but there are times in my life when the opposite is true. I’ve written different styles of music, but the work I’m most proud of are the tangos, bossa novas and cabaret songs I wrote with my dear friend, Steve. We met when we both played with the Artie Ball Swing Band. Steve and I formed a second band under my name with other members of Artie Ball, who then also collaborated on the songs we performed together. Those moments, the people and the music will always be one of the best highlights of my life.
Sherry: How wonderful, to have created and performed music with fellow musicians. I think there must be nothing more fulfilling. You have an interesting career, H. Would you tell us a bit about it?
H: In addition to writing, I also work as a life coach and focus on helping outside-the-box thinkers who have a strong sense of purpose and drive to make a positive contribution to the world. I lean on my belief in the power of truth, joy and wonder in my work as a life coach, and I generally strive to inspire curiosity, courageous choice and committed action.
Sherry: That sounds like extremely rewarding work! I am impressed.
When did you start blogging, H, and has it impacted your work?
H: I just started my poetry blog this past May. It was a major celebratory act for me, as I was utterly unable to write poetry, as recently as a year ago, and for all the preceding 5 years.
This was due to debilitating after-effects of cancer treatment and subsequent brain injury. There were days I had difficulty preparing a simple breakfast or remembering how to cross the street safely – writing was a non-starter. I was very tenacious about finding the right treatment, and once I did, I worked hard at it. Early this year, I felt like my brain really started to come back on line.
Now I’m living a normal, active everyday life and I am able to write! That is a gift of fulfillment I never imagined I would have again. And to have found this community at Poets United, to be able to engage and interact with other poets, has truly meant quite a lot to me. It pushes me to keep honing my skills, challenging my brain and opening myself to inspiration.
H: In addition to writing, I also work as a life coach and focus on helping outside-the-box thinkers who have a strong sense of purpose and drive to make a positive contribution to the world. I lean on my belief in the power of truth, joy and wonder in my work as a life coach, and I generally strive to inspire curiosity, courageous choice and committed action.
Sherry: That sounds like extremely rewarding work! I am impressed.
When did you start blogging, H, and has it impacted your work?
H: I just started my poetry blog this past May. It was a major celebratory act for me, as I was utterly unable to write poetry, as recently as a year ago, and for all the preceding 5 years.
This was due to debilitating after-effects of cancer treatment and subsequent brain injury. There were days I had difficulty preparing a simple breakfast or remembering how to cross the street safely – writing was a non-starter. I was very tenacious about finding the right treatment, and once I did, I worked hard at it. Early this year, I felt like my brain really started to come back on line.
Now I’m living a normal, active everyday life and I am able to write! That is a gift of fulfillment I never imagined I would have again. And to have found this community at Poets United, to be able to engage and interact with other poets, has truly meant quite a lot to me. It pushes me to keep honing my skills, challenging my brain and opening myself to inspiration.
Sherry: H, what a story! And what an accomplishment! Good for you, working so hard on your recovery. We are so happy you found us at Poets United. I remember when I found it, in 2010, it literally opened the world of online poetry to me. It changed my writing life. So welcome aboard!
Would you choose two or three of your poems to share with us? If you would like to say something about each, please do.
Would you choose two or three of your poems to share with us? If you would like to say something about each, please do.
H: As you asked
about my music, I thought I would share one of my songs, if that’s okay. This
one is called Waking and is the title song of a musical I was once
trying to write about the true inner self seducing the heart and mind away from
the trappings of the false outer self.
Waking
It’s not too late
it’s not too late
for us
I still can feel
you dancing there
Inside my heart
where the flutter
always starts
when you don
your red shoes
And back in time,
my love
you don’t
remember, but I do
you were my joy
and I was yours
and I can hear it
calling, calling you
CHORUS:
So say goodbye
to everything you
know to be true
and whisper to me
gently
of all the
passions in you
say goodbye
and forever let
desire say yes
to the love that
you deny yourself
and the heart
that steals your breath
Where do you
sleep?
Do you creep into
the shelter of my
longing?
And when I open
up to you
do you feel it
waking too
outside your
dreams?
‘Cause before
time, my love
you don’t
imagine, but I do
we were enchanted
and now it’s in
our dreams
and I can hear it
calling, calling
Chorus
When night has
gone
And the dawn is
all aflame on the horizon
Do you seek your
fortune there
Or are you
unaware how deep love burns
How deep inside,
my love
You don’t
surrender, but I do
And time awakens
And I’ll be yours
And you will
always hear me calling, calling
Chorus
_____
Sherry: I love this! How wonderful to hear you singing! Your voice is so full of life and good energy! Thank you for this treat!
_____
Sherry: I love this! How wonderful to hear you singing! Your voice is so full of life and good energy! Thank you for this treat!
H: You know how
you can be just going about your business and suddenly you feel the presence of
your next poem – and you know that muse is just waiting for you to sit down and
write. This is what ensued in one of those moments. A very direct interaction
with that sudden spark:
Genesis
In Motion
Oh,
you are a sliver of impish delight
In
this cave of my endless toil and reaching
Ever
flexed and outstretched
My
arms seek you
Fingers
grasping
Great
paw-like swaths through the dark
I
rip and claw
For
just a hint of you
You
are my joy
And
my single temptation
My
genesis in motion
The
dance of my living, and
Oh,
how this cave is alighted by you
Wholly
righted by the infinite swing
From
toil to dream and back again
We
are life in its making
Hurtling
through space and time
Enraptured
by now
This
one tour of the universe
Here
inside this rock
This
moment of dense matter
No
labour nor chase bind
For
I am your impish delight
And
we are tethered
By
a mutual charge for being
___
As much as I
love words, I sense there is something beyond words that is the most real thing
of all. I love being in direct experience with that. Love, music, art, animals,
absolute immediacy. A oneness that can only be experienced beyond words.
Reach
Nothing beyond
words is ever out of reach
If I am inside a
dream, inside a life, inside a plane of existence
Then I am inside
you, swimming in the pool of all that is I AM
And the world
swims inside me
And we are, none
of us, out of reach
Sherry: Your work carries a very affirming message, H. Thank you for sharing these gems with us.
What other interests do you enjoy, when you aren't writing?
H: I really enjoy woodworking, something I inherited from my grandfather. My wife and I are currently transforming an old shed in our backyard into a woodshop. I’m very excited about it. I also enjoy reading – I usually have 2 or 3 books going at once. But my favourite activities are traveling and doing anything with my wife and our pups.
On one of our road trips,
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
We road trip down the Pacific coast each year, visiting lighthouses, standing in awe of the redwoods, and I take photographs and draw up plans for new creative projects. Last year, I took the opportunity to study a little Spanish as we cruised down the road. It’s a great time to just follow whatever inspiration arises.
Sherry: It sounds wonderful. That coastline is so beautiful! I have done it twice, Back In the Day!
On one of your posts, Hope Is Not Passive, you said "hope is investing in life." I love that. How can we hold onto hope in times that are as discouraging as these?
On one of your posts, Hope Is Not Passive, you said "hope is investing in life." I love that. How can we hold onto hope in times that are as discouraging as these?
H: My piece, Hope Is Not Passive,
addresses the importance of the frame of mind from which we choose our
responses to the world. I was inspired to write this piece when I kept hearing
people respond to messages of love for life with statements that seemed to
imply, “don’t love life, don’t get attached, don’t hope.”
I think people are afraid to hope.
People are in pain and they feel betrayed by choices others are making that
negatively impact our world. To hope is to open oneself up to the possibility
of more pain. But that is only one aspect of hope – one that focuses on
outcomes. There are other aspects of hope.
Hope is about how you
courageously go about being your loving self in this moment of life, right now,
today. This hope recognizes that what we make of life today matters, even if there
are huge losses tomorrow. And this hope is the only way we have to truly
influence what tomorrow brings. When we
operate from a stance of hope – being present, investing in life rather than
investing in fear – we create in-roads and opportunities; we spark ideas and
ingenuity that never would come about otherwise. Believing in possibility is
pre-requisite to inspired action.
I think that is what we have to
bring to bear if we want to bring about change. Even if that change does not
always lead to the exact and full solution that we want. We must not feed
ourselves hopelessness so that we then feed only hopelessness to the world. Those
of us who feel discouraged by others’ carelessness must stop saying, “but sadly,” and start saying, “I’m here.”
Because it matters that we are here. WE love. And WE care. WE are our hope. There
are people and animals and a whole living planet that need loving action,
regardless of outcomes. It is the only thing that matters - especially if the
outcome is not what we want.
Sherry: Well, you have said this so well, you have increased MY hope exponentially! DO keep writing this message. The world so badly needs to hear it.
Wasn't this an amazing visit, friends? Do come back and see who we talk to next. Who knows? It might be you!
Sherry: Well, you have said this so well, you have increased MY hope exponentially! DO keep writing this message. The world so badly needs to hear it.
Wasn't this an amazing visit, friends? Do come back and see who we talk to next. Who knows? It might be you!
