The word, profession, has its roots in the Latin, profiteri, to declare openly. With this collection of my poems, I avow that I believe poetry to be a heart-to-heart connection that is universal. Having a profession also can reference an occupation that requires some higher level of training. Although some poets acquire such, it is not essential. It so happens that my first profession did require graduate level education as a Doctor of Education who worked along side Doctors of Medicine to strengthen the education mission of medical schools … the two other legs of the stool medical research and clinical service were outside my training and purview. (I Have Good News) The metaphorical connection between the transformation of chickpeas without suffering and the separation of spirit from the body is thought-provoking. It raises questions about the nature of suffering and whether it is necessary or inherent in certain processes. This reflection invites contemplation on the deeper meaning of life, death, and the human experience. The mention of the yellow ware bowl that was bartered for in an estate sale adds a personal touch and hints at the significance of memories and shared experiences with wife. The final line, "my wife's cancer journey," brings a somber and emotional aspect to the piece. It suggests that this reflection is part of contemplation on wife's experience with cancer, which adds depth and personal significance to the overall narrative. Overall, words evoke a sense of introspection, the exploration of life's complexities, and the juxtaposition of mundane activities with profound themes. |
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| Author BIO |
| Neal Whitman |
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Neal Whitman lives in Pacific Grove, California with his wife, Elaine, where they retired in 2008 as professional educators. On the walkway to their front door is a stone tablet with the words of Henry David Thoreau in Latin: ex Orient lux, ex Occident frux. Indeed, Neal and Elaine grew up on the East Coast and their lives now blossom on the West Coast where his poetry and her photography are inspired by the air, land, and ocean of the Monterey Peninsula. In transition into retirement, Neal took up the writing of general poetry in 2005, adding haiku in 2008 and tanka in 2011. Much of his poetry in all forms has been informed by his work as a volunteer tour docent at poet Robinson Jeffers Tor House in Carmel, bereavement counselor for Hospice of the Central Coast, Monterey, and docent guide at Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove. Neal is vice president of the United Haiku and Tanka Society, haiku editor of Pulse: Voices from the Heart of Medicine, and editorial board member of the Revista: Magazine of Romanian-Japanese Relationships.
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| Other Publication By Neal Whitman |
Neal Whitman
ISBN: 9789389690385
Neal Whitman
ISBN: 9789389690750
Neal Whitman
ISBN: 9788119228249
Neal Whitman
ISBN: 9788119228645
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