Poems For People Who Hate Poetry

Send us a textSunday Morning Poetry: The Fountain by William WordsworthThis is a follow up to the previous poem "The Two April Mornings." Here Wordsworth is exploring character that we tend to spend very little time thinking about. In other words, they are on the edge of our consciousness.How can a young person learn from an old person? It seems paradoxical that you have to experience something in order to understand it and yet elders are constantly giving advice based on their experiences.This poem is a conversation poem. Young and old are sitting beneath a tree by a natural fountain, when seemingly out of nowhere, the old man grows melancholy. He's remembering his past.The poem explores loss and grief and has the very memorable lines: "the wiser mindMourns less for what Age takes away, Than what it leaves behind."THE FOUNTAINBy William WordsworthWE talk’d with open heart, and tongue Affectionate and true, A pair of friends, though I was young, And Matthew seventy-two.  We lay beneat

Send us a textA #Mothersday challenge! This poem by William Wordsworth, THE MAD MOTHER, is not your typical lovey-dovey mom poem. Rather, it focuses on a woman, whose husband abandoned her and her newborn, as she copes with this new reality and her own apparent insanity.One way art causes serious contemplation in the mind of an active observer is by "the pleasure which the mind derives from the perception of similitude and dissimilitude." In other words, the mind find pleasure in seeing similarities among dissimilar things.What can we learn about motherhood from an insane, abandoned, wild mother? Tune in for this week's Sunday Morning Poetry!THE MAD MOTHERBy WIlliam WordsworthHer eyes are wild, her head is bare,  The sun has burnt her coal-black hair,  Her eye-brows have a rusty stain,  And she came far from over the main.  She has a baby on her arm,  Or else she were alone;  And underneath the hay-stack warm,  And on the green-wood stone,  She talked and sung the woods among;  And it was in th

Send us a textIn this discussion and reading of the famous piece of romantic poetry, I will explain the importance of metaphors, simile, and analogies; important to the poem and more important in your everyday life.HINT: Thinking requires comparisons.

Send us a textA weekly reading and discussion of great poetry.Epigram Engraved on the Collar of a Dog Which I Gave to His Royal Highness ​By Alexander Pope I AM his Highness’ dog at Kew; Pray tell me, Sir, whose dog are you? To A Butterfly William Wordsworth I'VE watched you now a full half-hour; Self-poised upon that yellow flower And, little Butterfly! indeed I know not if you sleep or feed. How motionless!--not frozen seas More motionless! and then What joy awaits you, when the breeze Hath found you out among the trees, And calls you forth again! This plot of orchard-ground is ours; My trees they are, my Sister's flowers; Here rest your wings when they are weary; Here lodge as in a sanctuary! Come often to us, fear no wrong; Sit near us on the bough! We'll talk of sunshine and of song, And summer days, when we were young; Sweet childish days, that were as long As twenty days are now. -------- STAY near me--do not take thy flight! A little longer stay in sight! Much converse do I find in thee

Send us a textIf you could have any superpower what would it be?Daniel Sherrier is the author of a comic book novel called The Flying Woman. We chatted about the role of comics in our culture, ancient myths and the purpose of superpowers.The Flying Woman by Daniel Sherrier is available for sale on Amazon, Books-a-million and Indibound. 

Send us a textLet's talk about sex baby!We've got on the show writer/director Stewart Wade Margolis. We talked about his latest movie Say Yes. It's about a woman who plans her husband's romantic life for after she dies...with her bisexual brother.Quite a unique logline. We discussed sexuality and how sexuality is presented in our culture. There are a not a few controversial topics we broached in this discussion.Check out the movie, available on Amazon and tell us what you think.https://www.amazon.com/Say-Yes-Leah-McKendrick/dp/B07QBZMQ5Q/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=say+yes&qid=1555390113&s=gateway&sr=8-3 

Send us a textWHO WILL SIT ON THE IRON THRONE?Chris and I had a great conversation about film, art, making movies, the changing medium of media and of course who will sit on the iron throne.Check out this conversation between two film production majors about the art, craft and culture of moviemaking.Follow the making of Chris' movie Death Blood 4 on Instagram @deathblood4

Send us a textIn the first of a series of conversations I am planning to have in the Bay Area, I had a great chat with a local poet Maryam Khawar. We discussed some of her short poetry, where she is inspired, why art is important in our lives, and how to become GREAT at anything.Here is a very short poem of hers we discussed: How beautiful, was your mindand the ability to see the essence of the universe I see it through you As you pass from artist to artist We also read the poem "The Apology" by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Send us a textMarco Romero is a real estate investor in Central Texas. He came on the podcast to talk about fiction books!It is important to read non-fiction books of course, but often as we get busy in our careers we neglect literature. In this conversation Marco and I discussed how to select good fiction books and how reading fiction can make you a better person and give you an edge at work.Enjoy!

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Send us a textYou can watch part 1 on youtube or facebook: https://youtu.be/o0xJXslb7TA?list=PLg0eBZyxdlFmlTBWlwMj5aCMkz9UjcJm5https://www.facebook.com/troubadourmag/videos/985670661821812/In part 2 I give a thorough analysis and explanation as to who the real hero is of the story, why this is one of the most ancient plot structure, how that effects your experience of the story and I also teach you how to "read" a movie. This includes a look at elements of this film that were unjustly lambasted by critics like:ActingEditingCamera workBut especially I show how very small and easily missed elements of the film really make this good art.

Send us a textThe purpose of a critic is not to find funny way to bash a movie, but to find good movies and teach their audience to see better.The Titan (with Sam Worthington) is a movie that has been given horrible reviews by both the audience and critics. In this series I will not only argue its merits but also teach how this movie uses literary elements to tell a good science fiction story in cinematic fashion.You will learn *how science fiction and art impact actual views and political policies including environmentalism.*Why science fiction is the most important field in the world, as the transmitter of ideas.* Science Fiction's rich literary history--from the bible to Dante, Milton, Shelley, Hawthorne and Wells.*How the Titan is deceptively complex, with a nested narrative conflict between two Doctors.*We will ask real world and story questions such as: Who is in control of the future? What moral system is best? What methods of seeking knowledge are appropriate? and many more.I hope you'll joi

Send us a textA tale of how to invent the perfect woman.

Send us a textOn this episode I chat with the wonderful Amy J. Murphy, Sci-fi novelist and Nurse you don't wanna meet professionally. Check out her fiction https://amyjmurphy.com/We discussedScience fiction as legit literatureMilitary versus warrior storiesSpace operas versus hard scienceJoseph CampbellWhy scifi is more popular today than historical fictionHealth as analogy to capital L literatureWhy literature is as important as the medical or scientific fieldsAnd more

Send us a textThis is the reading for part 4 of the four part series on Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Birth of Sci Fi.I have decided to record the commentary separately. For now, enjoy the reading of the Artist of the Beautiful. Here is one question to ask yourself before entering the world of Hawthorne's artist. Does the artist solve a problem that Hawthorne established was the flaw of the scientist in his former stories, Dr. Heidegger's Experiment, The Birthmark, Rappaccini's Daughter? Most importantly, what does Hawthorne's answer to this ambitious individual who wishes to discover and master the creative essence of the universe mean for us today?

Send us a textYou can read this story here: https://www.troubadourmag.com/home/band-of-gold

Send us a textYou can find DIane's work at Dianemorrisonfiction.comWe had a great conversation that began with a scan of her room and the Witch's broom she has! Ever wonder what a Wiccan Priestess does? We chatted about Wicca, Pagan and Greek Mythology, Jordan Peterson, Literature and modern writing.Enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Sci-Fi author and musician Diane Morrison.

Send us a textA short story about Prometheus and his bird.Read the story at Troubadour Magazinehttps://www.troubadourmag.com/home/a-promethean-liver

Send us a textO. Henry is a modern Troubadour in every sense of the term. Romantic. Whimsical. Imaginative. Ingenious. Enlightening. Entertaining.In this short story, O. Henry chooses as his characters an editor of a literary magazine and a fledgling writer. They each have their own theories on language in art and in "real life." The story is the epitome of what Troubadour Magazine seeks to bring out in each of us.