Poets voice the world. (Artists vision the world). I would not have made it through my teenage years without such favored poets as Carl Sandburg, Leonard Cohen, or Bob Dylan. I have relied on both known and unknown poets my entire life. My free writing retreat days at my home are in remembrance of William Stafford, poet and activist. In recent years many local poets have graced my life, helped me to hear the soul of the world. Everyone of my books features poets because they help me share my message with you, my readers. Today’s blog is written by one of my favorite local gems, Mokasiya. He shares his life as a poet and ways to purchase his poems. (You can also hire him as your personal poet!)
Mokasiya . . Known to many, now to you . . .
In 1986, I was living off the grid, in the Ozarks with my partner at that time, hauling our drinking water from a spring, working part-time jobs, and, more importantly for me, writing poetry. I was thirty-three years old. I started writing poetry in high school but kept most of it well hidden. My first poem was published around 1976. It was a poem about self-love, something I still wonder and write about.
We sold that place in the Ozarks a couple years later. The new owners let us leave some of our belongings in a fifty-five gallon barrel stored inside the house. I put all the poetry I’d written over the years inside that barrel. Sometime later, I was preparing to go back to the property and retrieve the poetry and other possessions from the barrel when I got a call that the house had burned down. The fire got so hot it incinerated the barrel; there was nothing left but ash. I reacted to this event by not writing for ten years.
Somewhere in my head, I’m sure I invented the master list of excuses for going a decade without writing.
When I started writing again the writing helped to gently pull─ or, more precisely─, write me out of a long and painful dark night of the soul. When I show up to write, which is nearly every day now, it feels like the stories and poems are writing me. It might be said I’m a selfish writer in that the poetry that comes through me, explores, plays with and examines aspects of my life in relationship to the natural world, the mind, body, heart, emotions, and soul.
I can hear in my head that we’re all connected, but I need to experience that, feel it in my heart, and tender that mystery of a spiritual-human life in my soul. Writing and sharing the writing helps to make that happen for me. I write to live and I live to write. I’m hooked. The writing continues on its own trajectory, evolving and sculpting my life like water, fire, and wind.
I’ve completed five books of poetry, four of which I offer for sale, including my newest book, Pipe, Sensuality and the Sacred. This collection explores my experiences through pipe ceremony, the various meanings we give to the sacred, and, our lives as sensual beings. To me, these three elements are connected to what I call a soul’s journey. I share them in the hope that the reader may ponder their own inner and outer journey of the soul in this human body.
Pipe, Sensuality and the Sacred is eighty pages of contemplative poetry including six reflective illustrations. Pricing is $15.00 per copy, including shipping, or $25.00 for two books, including shipping. My other books of poetry available for sale are: The Shaman’s Dream, When God First Laughed, and a chap book, Climbing a Mesa.
My work has been published in the Comstock Review, Sacred Fire, Free Verse, The Edge, Rivers and Roots, The Muir View, Poetry out of Wisconsin and other books and magazines. My poetry also appears in Julie Tallard Johnson’s newest book, The Zero Point Agreement.
Please send inquiries to rivertink@yahoo.com. To get a taste of some of my poetry check out my blog at: mokalightpoetry.wordpress.com
To order books, to make arrangements for a poetry reading or writing workshop, or to make a donation to support my writing life as I continue on the journey of this craft;
Send cash or check made out to: Alan Christensen, 11360 East Saint James Rd. Tucson, AZ. 85748
I also offer playful, insightful, personal poems for individuals, couples, families, your friends or pets for a reasonable exchange of dollars.
I am forever grateful for your kind support, Mokasiya January 2015
Sainthood
i’ve sent in my application for sainthood
certain that i have a great chance
of being accepted,
using a lot of “I” statements
like the self-help books all recommend
and letting go of the
“you should, you could, you would
be wise to choose me for sainthood.
I am only asking for this high honor
for one day
not a forever thing
or any kind of adoration
sainthood for a day
that’s long enough,
just a small taste
like queen for a day,
selfless service for a day,
holy, holy all peoples day,
holy, holy all plants and animals day,
sacred is the whole earth day
the laughter saint
come on let’s play.