This poem is written in the classical sonnet form. The setting is northwest Costa Rica, following an afternoon excursion from the Pacific Coast up into the mountains of the Hojancha canton. This area was originally inhabited by the Chorotega indigenous tribe, who occupied the Nicoya Peninsula during the pre-Columbian era; their tribal reach extended to Lake Nicaragua.

The challenges with music, of course, can range from understanding music theory to simply having the perseverance to practice, yet despite those challenges, the rewards of learning make the journey worth it. When I was a young adult, the move from piano to learning how to play the guitar felt so foreign, so unconventional, until, of course, the right teacher came into my life, breaking things down into chords, and fingerpicking styles, and rhythms, removing for me the secrets of the guitar. This is an ode to that teacher, Lee.

Written in the very structured poetic rondeau form, this poem looks at lost artifacts of the Texas Hill Country as symbolic of the region’s harsh nature.

This poem snapshots the unforgettable sights and sounds of fall duck hunting within the wooded sloughs of northeast Texas alongside man’s best friend.

Today’s poem looks at dream states and it’s written in the Luc Bat form, a Vietnamese poetic form that means “six-eight” where the poem alternates in lines of six and eight syllables with a rhyme scheme that renews at the end of every eight-syllable line and rhymes on the sixth syllable of both lines

In 2018, the Chilean Writer’s Society (SECH) invited me to Chile as a poet, with a permanent invitation to return each year. Its Fourth Region department is named after Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American ever to receive the Nobel Laureate in Literature. A rural teacher in the Andean mountains, Lucila Godoy Alcayaga (April 7, 1889 – January 10, 1957) adopted “Gabriela Mistral” as a pseudonym from her favorite poets, Gabriele D'Annunzio and Frédéric Mistral. She acquired the nom de plume as she feared her loss of work as a teacher should her identity become known. Her birthplace is the Valle del Elqui, a mystical, magical labyrinth of Andean mountains filled with green valleys of pisco grapes and the occasional small village, complete with huaso (Chilean countrymen and skilled horsemen) riding throughout its streets. We visited her birthplace in Vicuña and her school house and grave site in Monte Grande.

Written in the poetic form of a villanelle, this poem serves as a call for accountability and courageous leadership for fathers in today’s culture

The arrangement of this concrete poem (also known as pattern or shape poetry) uses meter and structure to convey its message.. “Sliver” references the shape of Chile. The poem pays homage to Gabriela Mistral, Latin America’s first Nobel laureate in Literature, and the attention her works brought to the world of her country. She was born 138 years ago, yesterday.

Strolling the streets of Amsterdam, a recollection of time with my new bride and our unexpected turn into its famed Red Light District.

Punta Roca, a world-class wave located in La Libertad, El Salvador, is probably one of America's best waves. This dangerous, long right-hand wave, both powerful and hollow, should only be attempted by intermediate to advanced surfers. I’ve used the limerick poetic style – an often comical, nonsensical, and sometimes even lewd form with a strict rhyme scheme and rhythm – to capture the dangers of this place.