Poetry offers the reader an experience that is unique in the spectrum of written and spoken language. The poem is immersed in the rich symbolic essence of human thought. Words are meant to carry ideas from one person to another. They do this by a mutually accepted meaning that unites and inspires. Their limits are designed to be challenged and expanded. For the poet, a word is a symbol, richly exploited for what it says and what it might mean. The poet serves as Prophet and Pundit, as Scribe and Troubadour, giving readers and listeners a platform for reflection. The process of poetry is meant to awaken and inspire, encourage and challenge the thinking of those who want to look beyond the surface of daily life with its culture and politics. It is the task of the poet to reach into the core archetypal sense of what is happening, and what could be... Poetry is written for the mindful. This collection of poems was written between 2016 and 2018. Its themes are taken from nature and the politics of everyday life. Its title, "Dancing Word Flames," suggests the unpredictable and dynamic nature of these sonnets. It also reflects the archetypal inspiration of the bonfire with its power and beauty, its devouring force turning living wood to ash. Many poems in this collection were inspired at the fire's side and so are "FIRETALK," nurtured by the archetype of flame and fury. They are meant to gift the reader in the fire's warm glow. This volume is the fourth in a series of Poetry for the Ages.:
About the Author: This collection of poems is the author's sixth book of poetry and the fourth in this series, "Poetry for the Ages," written by Robert M Johnson PhD. These poems were written over a two year period from 2016 to 2018. They celebrate the new day, and they reflect the happenings of life, reaching out to the cultural and political events of modern America. Poetry has been a chosen worldview for the author for over sixty years. Inspired by poets like Hopkins and Dickinson, Millay and Heaney, the poetic style is varied and challenging for the reader. The poet is prophet, pundit and scribe for each generation. Like the watchman at the gate, the lamplighter of old, the poet give life to meaning in verse. Where a novel tells a story with changing scenes and characters and action events, poetry is more like a still life. It captures the creative juice of the moment, freezing it in time and giving the reader, like the art observer, material for inspiration. Poetry thrives on word economy in both the color and sound of each word. Cadence is the lifeblood of the poetic creation, change one word and the cadence comes unraveled. Words are both their own powerful expression and they also have a shared harmony with one another. To fully appreciate poetry, this deep harmony is the marrow of the writing. Read for the marrow