Cape Canaveral Poet Laureate

  We are gearing up for Thanksgiving, that wonderful time of year where we take special care to show gratitude to and for everything we have: family, friends, love, goods, all kinds of things.  After searching, I was unable to find a children's book that accurately reflected the first Thanksgiving and the Thanksgiving holiday from a historical standpoint  Thinking one should be created, I set about some research and created this. The idea is that any age child can benefit from learning the history and themes presented herein.  One way to keep the children engaged is to have them provide the drawings.  For younger children, it may be doodles and hand-turkeys.  For older ones, they may draw images they associate with the story.  It can be a wonderful way of starting a conversation about the true history of Thanksgiving.  For instance, maybe the drawings of "Pilgrims" and "Indians" do not reflect accurately who these people were.  But that shou...

A limerick is a five-line poem that consists of a single stanza, an AABBA rhyme scheme.  This means that the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme; and the third and fourth lines rhyme.  Generally, the first, second, and fifth lines are longer.  Limericks are well-known for their highly rhythmic patterns.  Most people have heard limericks in their lifetimes, unfortunately, the subjects are often vulgar but humorous.  Although "Limerick" is a town in Ireland, it is thought that this type of poem was created in England (and named after the Irish town). I have decided to write a few limericks to to demonstrate.  These are inspired by the City's actions to help flatten the curve and protect everyone, locals and tourists alike, from COVID-19.  The City has taken such wonderful steps as closing beach parking, encouraging staying at home, and supporting local businesses by encouraging curb-side pick up and take-out.  As a thank you, these poems are dedi...

Hello, everyone! During this challenging time, I am trying to bring you more content for your enjoyment.  This is a poem (a song) about making the most of the current situation.  While we are all social distancing and semi-quarantining, it gives us time to reflect on pleasant memories, those we care about, and even just enjoy looking around us in a somewhat slower time. And remember, do what you safely can to support our local businesses and artists throughout all of this. Thank you and be well! Social Distancing  I swung by the store hoping you might be there Thinking I had some time maybe we could share While the hygiene and quarantine puts us in a bind I know I'm not the only one to try to get you off his mind And it's been a while, but when we're together it sure feels nice If I could send a little joy your way, I'd send it same day To your carved out paradise We looked out the twenty-second floor window Searching for ice cream lost somewhere down ...

St Patrick's Day offers a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the many contributions of the Irish people to our country and community.  William Butler Yeats, Katherine Tynan, Colette Bryce, Oscar Wilde, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Dolores O'Riordan, are just a few of the wordsmiths hailing from Ireland.  In America, we have colloquialisms that arise from Irish impact on our culture.  In this poem, I attempt to utilize some of them to reflect the positive impact on the Irish on the American language, as well as use some Irish folklore references to shine a most positive light on the Irish. Since this was inspired by St. Patrick's day, the first lines reflect the story of St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland into the sea. The phrase "Irish goodbye" means to leave a gathering without any fanfare, just show up, have a good time with your friends, and leave without making a big deal.  Not a rude walk out, just leaving without any long, drawn out farewell. ...