Left Hand Poetry

When cleaning my office recently, I discovered an old composition notebook that I used to carry with me whenever I'd set up a table to sell my books. Scribbled hastily on one of the pages was the first draft of this week's poem "Butter and Bacon Fat." It's the tale of a lonely and somewhat hungry poet who endures a heavenly aroma coming from a food vendor at the same farmer's market where our hero is selling his books. Yes, it is based on actual events. I'll definitely be including this poem in my next poetry book.

Hey, I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Leave a review or a comment in your podcast app, or catch me on Twitter @Lefthandrob.

After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because All Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game:

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The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.

Colleges are opening up in a variety of ways but the universal constant is that there are classes that everyone just has to get through. And you will. This week on the podcast I embrace that spirit with a meditation that survives from my own college days. If you don't pick it up from the context of the piece, I did not enjoy - nor do terribly well - at Chemistry. It's just never been my subject. Thus was born "Existential Chemistry."

Another brief anecdote, I shared this with a friend years ago, and as the story goes it was printed out and posted in the halls of a certain college's Chemistry building. If you've seen "Existential Chemistry" in the wilds of your college, let me know!

Hey, I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Leave a review or a comment in your podcast app, or catch me on Twitter @Lefthandrob.

After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because All Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game:

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Donate to the Equal Justice Initiative

Transgender Law Center

The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.

Inspired by a late night conversation with an actor acquaintance on the back porch of where I lived at the time comes "Goodfellow." Of course, he was playing 'Puck' in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the time, thus the framing of the tale. It wasn't my first choice for this week, but I didn't care for my initial choice and found this gem. It's one of the most faithfully rhythmic poems I've written, though I'll confess coming back to it years later the story it tells feels a wee bit thin. Still, enjoy the rhyme scheme and the rhythm.

Hey, I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Leave a review or a comment in your podcast app, or catch me on Twitter @Lefthandrob.

After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because All Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game:

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Donate to the Equal Justice Initiative

Transgender Law Center

The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.

This week it's a slice of life as I read "West End Street Scene," recounting a drive through part of my home town on an oddly warm December morning.

Hey, I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Leave a review or a comment in your podcast app, or catch me on Twitter @Lefthandrob.

After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because All Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game:

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Transgender Law Center

The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.

With the launch of the Mars Perseverance Rover this morning, I read a poem that looks at the end of a storied career for another spaceship, the beloved Space Shuttle Discovery. This ode recalls the time when she came to DC as the 747 carrying her did a victory lap around the district before delivering her to the Air and Space museum at Udvar Hazy.

Hey, I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Leave a review or a comment in your podcast app, or catch me on Twitter @Lefthandrob.

After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because All Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game:

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Transgender Law Center

The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.

An ode to old things made new, and where we go to find them. I hope you can feel the remains of snow crunching beneath your inadequate footwear as you read this poem.

Hey, I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Leave a review or a comment in your podcast app, or catch me on Twitter @Lefthandrob.

After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because All Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game:

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Transgender Law Center

The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.

"Hunger" is another dip into the weirdness of my imagination from my book "Blue." We're talking iced animal crackers weird. Literally.

Hey, I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Leave a review or a comment in your podcast app, or catch me on Twitter @Lefthandrob.

After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because All Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game:

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Transgender Law Center

The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.

Some more earnestness this week with my poem "En Tempus Amemoria," a story that wonders at why dolphins help us so often when we're stranded at sea. It's from my first book of poetry "Stand Right, Walk Left."

Hey, I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Leave a review or a comment in your podcast app, or catch me on Twitter @Lefthandrob.

After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because All Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game:

Donate to Black Lives Matter

Donate to the Souther Poverty Law Center

Donate to the Equal Justice Initiative

Transgender Law Center

The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.

This week's offering is an ode to a wonderful pair of pups that belong to some great friends of mine, "Mina and Penny." As I say in the episode, it's been a minute since I've seen them (my friends and the dogs!) due to social distancing and frankly the busy-ness of every day life. This one's for you, ladies.

Hey, I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Leave a review or a comment in your podcast app, or catch me on Twitter @Lefthandrob.

After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because All Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game:

Donate to Black Lives Matter

Donate to the Souther Poverty Law Center

Donate to the Equal Justice Initiative

Transgender Law Center

The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.

Join me for another trip into the absurd this week for "Your Father Puts Ketchup on So Many Inappropriate Things," inspired by a blogger that I have followed for some years. Well, inspired by a comic strip that the blogger commented on a couple years back. Fine, it's the Comics Curmudgeon, if you must know. Big fan of his work.

Anyway, the poem is some dumb fun, you can find it in my book "Blue."

Hey, I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast, whether it's a specific poem or the format, or whatever's on your mind! Leave a review or a comment in your podcast app, or catch me on Twitter @Lefthandrob.

After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game:

Donate to Black Lives Matter

Donate to the Souther Poverty Law Center

Donate to the Equal Justice Initiative

And while we're at it, Trans Lives Matter:

Transgender Law Center

The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.