- 16
- Episodes
- 2022
- First episode
About Poems by Papa
On February 9th, 2022 I was diagnosed with throat cancer, five months after retiring from a career in business and education. On March 30th, I began seven weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. Afterwards, as I started to recover, I thought about my future. What would be my final chapter? I decided to embark on a new journey. One that would be the culmination of all that I have lived, learned, and love. Something I never dreamed of doing before my illness. I decided to write and publish my own poetry. I am a grandfather and now a self-proclaimed Cancer Thriver. I am Papa.
- Publisher
- Michael Persson
- Category
- society & culture
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 22 Nov 2022
- Latest episode
- 11 Jul 2023
Latest episodes
16 episodes in the feed.
11 Jul 2023
Stories and Games, Artistry and Rhyme
There is nothing more rewarding than when we see our children and grandchildren embrace cherished family traditions. Often they are the events and customs of our most endearing holidays. But, what I really love, is creating new traditions, big or small, forever weaving more colorful threads into the beautiful fabric of our way of life. Whether at home, on vacation, or during a fun filled calendar of seasonal events and festivals in the regions where we live. There is nothing quite like the excitement that comes with having something special to look forward to and experience. For this poem I have endeavored to express the wonderful times when my beloved granddaughter, visits our home for a long and glorious weekend, filled with traditions, old and new. Stories, games, colorful art, sunshine, tasty meals, outdoor activities, and gardens are all the things we experience and do. Beginning with the ringing of our very own Liberty Bell. And what a feeling for me, as Papa, when I see her beaming smile, enjoying every single moment of her days with us. As sure as the sun will always rise, so will the life, love, learning, and laughter rooted in our family’s creative heritage and rich traditions.
15 Jun 2023
The Building of My Empire
Without a doubt, there is an insatiable fascination with the extraordinary structures of every architectural interpretation that dot the surface of our world. Particularly, for those us who are from well-traveled societies, mainly America and Europe. No question there is something uniquely exotic about having the opportunity to view, first hand, worldwide monuments, some of which date all the way back to antiquity. However, history does tell us that only one of seven wonders of the ancient world still stand today. The Pyramids of Giza. And even though they have endured, unlike, for example, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon or the Colossus of Rhodes, the Egyptian dynasties that actually built them have long since passed from prominence. In the same way, the ancient emperors who built the Great Wall of China and the Royals who built Windsor no longer reign as they once did. Nonetheless, there is a profound and persistent tendency of many nations, as well as, religions to revere locations they deem sacred to either their cause or reputed origin. I must say, writing this poem was particularly enjoyable. As it slowly evolved over the course of about three weeks I began to see a wonderful opportunity to use these icons, symbols, and philosophical sentiments to express a very different message about a very different kind of empire. The one that will always last, now and forever. The one that lives in the midst of all the others. The one that we will always honor in my home. Regardless of where that may be.
8 Jun 2023
Along the Northern Lakefront
Beginning with my early adult life in Arizona, taking walks has always been very important and rewarding for me. Whether it was on the many paths of Dreamy Draw Mountain Preserve in Phoenix, Soldier’s Pass in Sedona, the lanes along the Arizona Canals, or even the quiet streets of Sonoran Mountain Ranch, I always enjoyed the opportunity to walk and talk with my thoughts. Morning or late evening, feeling the springtime warmth or the approaching season of Fall was absolutely soul lifting. And, as much as, I have enjoyed a lifetime of swimming, whenever the occasion afforded it, walking is truly the finest form of exercise for the body and the mind. I must say, those who walk for the health benefits and yet listen either to music or a podcast are, in my estimation, missing out on the richest part of the experience. To clear one’s mind. And now, living in the Finger Lakes of New York, the richness of village life during the four seasons coupled with unparalleled sights and sounds when taking long walks, has sent me back home to the spirit of my life growing up among the brave working class of the Ohio River Valley north of Pittsburgh. As James Taylor sang, “Sunny days I thought would never end.” And by the grace of the Good Lord, I now understand that they never did. Even when it rained.
25 May 2023
The Moment You Remember
Regardless of our age, loneliness is a desperate feeling for anyone to endure. No matter how brief or how long it may last. The causes are many. The solution is one. Love. Even if only in your memory, find that someone who always loved you, unconditionally. Just as I will always be, no matter when, no matter where, for my beloved granddaughter, a uniquely creative and sensitive child who, I have no doubt, will someday grow into a brilliant, bright, and wonderful woman.
6 Apr 2023
One of a Kind
Many years ago, I had the occasion to briefly share an elevator with four professional basketball players while in Phoenix, Arizona. Now, I should tell you that I am 6’5”, which when compared to the average man, I am aptly described as tall. But in that elevator for those few seconds, I was patently small. Proving that it is only by comparison that anything is defined, including us. Whether it be objective, which is quantitative, or subjective, which is supposed to be qualitative. However, the factor which now greatly diminishes the validity of subjective comparisons is that those who are viewed as the pinnacle of their respective form, are all too often based solely on their social notoriety. Not the ‘quality’ of their skill, creativity or knowledge. Therefore, don’t be lured in by a desire for main stream public approval. Remember, today’s cultural appetite for social adoration, laden with prejudiced peer reviews, is not now nor will it ever be, the true measure of the uniqueness of you.
27 Mar 2023
Never Had a Doubt
I have always felt the worst nightmare for any parent would be to outlive their child. I cannot imagine the grief for those who have experienced such a heart wrenching loss. And yet, now more than ever, I have become acutely aware of the other side of the proverbial coin. Dying before my time and not having the opportunity to do everything I possibly can for my beloved granddaughter and her baby sister. For many years, I have contributed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Where faith in God and the miracle of science have joined together to fight for every single child who have received their exceptional care, fruitful research, and servant love. May the Good Lord bless every single individual who works there and, of course, the extraordinary man who will forever be remembered as the genesis of its divine mission, Danny Thomas.
16 Mar 2023
Just You, Just Me
A radio broadcast, nationally syndicated during the late 1980s, spawned legions of followers who became known to agree with everything that was postulated about socio-political issues. As the story goes, during the early days a caller into the show, and there were many of them, responded to the hosts comments by simply saying “ditto”. What followed soon after was the cultural creation known as, Ditto Heads. A moniker rabidly mocked by the social and political left as a symbol of mindless conservative minions. And yet today, we clearly see a new form of blind allegiance as so many are now spending most of their time on social media simply retweeting the views of those they idolize. I have no doubt this phenomenon comprises the majority of all postings. Which leads to another question. Why is it that a blessing, and broadcast media is certainly one of them, always walks hand in hand with a curse? Consider this; our greatest blessing as Americans, personal freedom, was exactly the weapon used by nineteen foreign terrorists, who quietly and freely boarded airliners on 9/11 and then proceeded to kill nearly three thousand people without firing a single shot. So then how do we eliminate the curse? In the case of that fateful day more than twenty years ago, we have unrelentingly built a society of electronic surveillance that today monitors virtually every aspect of our personal behavior, and now, even our beliefs and opinions. Effective? Sure. Slowly eroding, if not eliminating the blessing of personal freedom as well as free speech? Absolutely. All the while creating a perfect haven for faceless hate driven rhetoric cloaked as enlightened views.
27 Feb 2023
Trust Your Tears
I have lived sixty-six years and yet I can only think of one time when I cried instinctively. Five years ago, when I witnessed firsthand, the very second a beloved pet passed away. When her eyes quietly closed and her tiny head gently laid down for the last time, I immediately began to cry. No warning at all. Natural and true, heartbreaking, and yet, liberating. As quickly as it started, it stopped. Nothing quite like I had ever experienced before. I can only imagine what it must be like to witness a loved one actually take their last breath and then pass away. This poem is my humble attempt to understand one of the most extraordinary threads woven into the fabric of our hearts and minds.
11 Feb 2023
On the Origin of Thought
What was once described as Mob Psychology, during the 1960s, has now evolved into the more current titles of Herd Mentality and Group Think, to name just two. However, the study of this social phenomenon dates back much further, to the middle of the 19th century, and remains the same. People will often follow the most sensationalized public view, with little or no regard to its validity. The burning desire to be a part of the latest rage of thought, blissfully believing it to be new and true, is far too great to give way to common sense, history, and now, even science. Nonetheless, in the same manner people doubt the very origin of our species, others spend endless static energy raising every possible question, even those which have already been irrefutably answered. All the while convincing our society’s most naïve to blindly join them by seductively labeling this treadmill of superficial thought as progress. Never considering, even for a single moment, that the genesis of what we are and why we were endowed with the ability to think, began at the exact same time in the exact same place for the exact same reason. And that will never change.
10 Feb 2023
A Woman on Earth
Many years ago, as a student, I heard the venerated poem “If” by Kipling. The truth is, I never understood the need for a young male to successfully pass through a gauntlet of random statements before he could be considered a man. However, during these most peculiar times, we are now faced with the renewed need to illuminate what it takes for a girl to become a woman. Inspired by my young granddaughter, I wrote this poem for her and for every precious child born as female.
9 Feb 2023
The Day When I See
A month before my radiation treatments for throat cancer were set to begin, my youngest granddaughter was born. A day or two later, when she was brought home from the hospital, I held her, asleep, cradled in my arm. Her delicate little hands gently folded under her chin. In that moment, great fear cascaded down on me, culminating in a single question. Will I live long enough for this precious child to have any memory of me? Months later, when I began to recover, The Day When I See, became my divinely inspired answer.
5 Jan 2023
Paradise Found
During the summer of 1995, I had the occasion to take a brief helicopter tour in Hawaii. Departing from the airport on Maui we had a perfect Birdseye view of the renowned resort destinations along the Kaanapali coast and the less traveled island of Lanai across the nine-mile ocean channel. However, it was on the far side of the third island, Molokai, where we could see the small array of buildings that housed the leper colony of Father Damien, more than a century earlier. Regarding my statement beginning with “The oldest of all lies”, I am making reference to the epic poem written by Milton during the 17th century regarding the fall of humankind in the Garden of Eden. From there I contrast it to the one word that is the foundation of the Christian faith. “Sacrifice.” With respect to my earlier reference to a place I would be “destined to know”, I am not speaking about the island or the colony, but rather a place of faith where the inhabitants once were and I now am, when any of us are challenged by the spectre of a potentially fatal long-term illness or disease. Likewise, the “vantage most high”, I identify near the end of the poem, is not one of mere flight but rather a renewed worldview elevated by my faith. Paradise Found. A retrospective look at a unique place in the history of faith, which when I first saw it as a tourist, was nothing more than a momentary curiosity.
20 Dec 2022
Three Sounds of Light
On March 30, 2022, I began seven weeks of radiation, five days a week, for throat cancer. Three Sounds of Light describes what I experienced during a daily treatment, which lasted about ten minutes. I would lay on my back, my eyes closed under a mask that had been previously formed fitted to my likeness. It would press against my forehead, face, and neck when the technicians anchored it down to the table over my shoulders. Early on, I learned to distinguish between different sounds of the linear accelerator. Three separate segments, each about forty-five seconds in length, is when I would hear the distinctive high pitch of the stimulated emission of radiation. At those times, I would remain perfectly still, not swallowing and only breathing once or twice gently through my nose. After each appointment, I would drive myself back home, which was just under thirty miles away. Unable to eat or drink or even swallow without significant pain, my dedicated and caring wife would feed me, throughout the day and into the middle of the night, using a G-Tube which had been surgically inserted into my stomach two days before my treatments began.
9 Dec 2022
I Desire
I Desire is a metaphor, where the new song I wish to find, is actually me desiring a renewed view of my entire life. Because, I have long held to the belief that for anyone, true happiness begins when you establish continuity with your past. When you realize that every day, every event, every experience during your lifetime, the good, the bad, successes and failures, your virtues and vices, your words and works, were all necessary steps to where you are and who you are today. Once you accept this to be true, all that remains is to let go of every regret and resolve to live this day and every day forward with faith, forgiveness, and love. Because, there will come a time when your song, that is to say, your life, is written, recorded, and done. Just like mine.
8 Dec 2022
Lady Witch and Little Mouse
Lady Witch and Little Mouse quickly came to life this past Halloween, when all it took was the delightful photos of my two beloved granddaughters, dressed in their costumes, for me to conjure up this endearing little story. Our first grader as a magical witch and her infant sister as a snuggly little mouse.
22 Nov 2022
Heaven on Earth
Heaven on Earth, the first poem I wrote, was inspired by a family photo I remembered during one of my earliest radiation treatments. Taken six years ago, during a visit to an antique shop in Arizona, it is the image of my daughter seated on a Victorian style dining chair holding my granddaughter on her lap. Beyond priceless is the look of wonder in the eyes of my beloved grandchild, adorned with a strand of classic white pearls, as she sees her own reflection in a vintage hand-held mirror.
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