The star of traditional Irish midsummer - St. John's Eve on the 23rd of June - is the BONFIRE which turns out to be multi-faceted and multi-purposed, and altogether quite powerful! Let's take a leaf out of the traditional Irish playbook and kindle our own fires - of enthusiasm, love, and excitement about being alive. [...]
Irish tradition offers us some inspiring ideas about how to get older in a powerful way. I can't wait to hear what you think! Tell us in the comments: 1. Of the four ideas I shared, which are you eager to put into practice? 2. What's the best thing about getting older, in your opinion? [...]
What would the early Irish poets think of AI? My answer might surprise you! Tell us in the comments: 1. How are you using AI in a way that still allows you to feel like the creative driving force in what you're making? 2. What are some great uses for AI that you've discovered? 3. [...]
I am an ardent fan of Irish proverbs and carry dozens of them in my mind. This one, though, I think needs just a bit of tweaking to help us harvest its dose of encouragement. Tell us in the comments: 1. What is one identity that you think our society regards with a fixed mindset [...]
What you carry in your mind in large part defines the atmosphere of your life. I vote we put POETRY in there to fill our lives with wisdom, beauty, and inspiration! Tell us in the comments: 1. What poem do you intend to memorize? 2. What would you like to exclude or include to uplevel [...]
A brief, passionate rant about the enlivening influence of poetry, very broadly defined with the help of John Stuart Mill and 19th century poet, Arthur O'Shaughnessy, and an invitation to throw off world weariness and cynicism and embrace and live YOUR poetry, your way. If you're moved and inclined, please share a comment - perhaps, [...]
Here is a bouquet of touching, funny, and truthful Irish proverbs about the creative power of praise, and three poems - one from the 11th century (though attributed to a 6th century Irish saint), one from the 17th century, and a ravishing folk poem from the 18th century. I hope it puts you in [...]
To celebrate this first day of May, here's a beautiful old Irish poem that adores every aspect of the burgeoning world, as well as discussion of an Irish custom I practice every year: leaving out a gift on May Eve for "them" as they pass. You'll see the result of this yearly tradition, and I [...]
In this, our final week of the 2024 Celebration, we enjoy poems of love and renewal by our marvelous community poets, I reveal the prize-winners, and I share some poems of world-love to keep us going throughout the year of poetry to come. Thank you to all of you for your company and for your [...]
This week, our brilliant community poets share love poems and inspiration as well as a trove of fantastic haikus that gave rise to adventure in the world, and we hear two poems by beloved poets that give us our SPARK for the week – to write a poem in which love sparks renewal. Our DARE [...]