New praise for the poetry in Deepening the Map!

Blues poet and performer Tony Moffeit, winner of the prestigious Jack Kerouac Award and author of Poetry is Dangerous, the Poet is an Outlaw (Floating Island Press, 1995) recently read and reviewed Deepening the Map and has some very beautiful words about it. Tony was a big inspiration to me during my seminal years of writing, reading, performing and hosting open mic poetry readings at cafe’s and book shops in the 90’s and early part of the new millennia.

“David Anthony Martin is a voice of the spirit, a voice of the land. He has the rare quality of deepening the life experience through his poems. His poems are earth songs. His poems are Zen anecdotes. His poems are transcendent pictures. One is moved by the power of his language. Martin captures the silence behind language, the secrets behind the profound, the mystery behind nature. He combines a nature mysticism with a marvelous storytelling. To read his poems is to take a rare journey into the heart of America. His poems are the transmission of life experiences into journeys that you take with him. The journeys that are mesmerizing and magnificent.”

 

~ Tony Moffeit, winner of the prestigious Jack Kerouac Award and the Thomas Hornsby Ferril Poetry Prize, author of Pueblo Blues (Cherry Valley), Luminous Animal (Cherry Valley), Neon Peppers (Cherry Valley), Poetry is Dangerous, the Poet is an Outlaw (Floating Island Press, 1995) and Tony Moffeit: Greatest Hits (Pudding House,2004).

A New Collection of Poems
by David A. Martin

Now available on Amazon.com, at local southern Colorado businesses,
and select independent bookshops

Cover Photo: “the origami bird is ever in flight” by David A. Martin, 2014

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“Thoreau, Cid Corman, Lorine Niedecker, Whalen & Snyder, Sam Hamill
and now David Martin, a wilderness walker returning as the missing lynx
in the lineage of nature based poetry heartbeating it’s way into our gorges & forests”

~Mike Parker, author of Don’t Fall Off The Mountain, Wallflower Sutra
and Walking on Water in a Razorblade Breeze.

“Deepening the Map is a collection that eloquently takes the reader
from mountain peaks to the depths of canyons and the limitlessness of open fields,
but ultimately awakens our humanity. This is a collection of work
that will leave beautiful sketches in the mind
while etching compassion in the heart of the reader.”

~Marie Loerzel
, author of Rock the Kasbah: A Memoir of Misadventure
Deepening the map

In his second collection of poems, David Martin uses the mirror of nature and the lens of attention to reveal the depths of life. The poems illuminate the beauty of the world and reflect an abiding affection for family, nature, and language itself. Martin’s personality shines in each phrase and image, dancing between ecstatic joy & monastic reverence.

Deepening the Map reveals a thread of contemporary contemplation and a continuing exploration of the interior landscapes of life and love, the feelings, dreams and fears, of growing up and growing together.

Buy or read more at Amazon.com

 

Deepening the Map available in paperback

Deepening the Map available in paperback

In his second collection of poetry, David Anthony Martin uses the mirror of nature and the lens of experience to reveal the depths of the experience of life. His poetry illuminates the beauty of the world and reflects an abiding affection for family, nature, and language itself. Martin’s personality shines in every phrase and image, and his poetry dances between ecstatic joy and monastic reverence. In telling his stories he reveals a thread of contemporary contemplation and a continuing exploration of the interior landscapes of life and love, feelings and fears, of growing up and growing together.

Poem of the Week: unfolding morning ritual

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Taking the dog out

sitting first thing each day
a half-full handmade cup
an old school chair, rearranged
… [more]

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This poem is part of my current notebook which may be working its way towards being called The Trick To Tying Balloons.

I have a manuscript, Deepening the Map being considered for publication, another manuscript, Owl Light nearly ready to submit. I am also making marked headway on my novel Lost Dog and frequently contributing to my novel jam and very excited to have dreamed an epic dream which i am excited to write into an amazing novel or series called searth. More on that later.

If you like this poem, consider reading a few of my new poems on my blog and checking out my book Span (Rhizome Publishing 2011, 2012,) Rhizome Publishing has gone out of business, and although my book is now out of print, I do have a few copies left at home, contact me to purchase them via my blogsite using PayPal or by check or money order $14.00 includes shipping and handling.

New Poem of the Week: To tell you that . . .

In the moment just after my Beloved  left for work, I noticed a miracle in the arms of a tree and this poem vibrated through my heart and hummed in my breath until my fingertips could touch these keys.

to tell you that . . . 

The heart, is a bird-nest in an apple tree
made of simple things found commonly
fragile and light, but nestled . . .

[More]

~ David Anthony Martin
copyright 2013

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This poem is part of my current notebook which may be working its way towards being called The Trick To Tying Balloons.

I have a manuscript, Deepening the Map being considered for publication, another manuscript, Owl Light nearly ready to submit. I am also making marked headway on my novel Lost Dog and frequently contributing to my novel jam and very excited to have dreamed an epic dream which i am excited to write into an amazing novel or series called searth. More on that later.

If you like this poem, consider reading a few of my new poems on my blog and checking out my book Span (Rhizome Publishing 2011, 2012,) Rhizome Publishing has gone out of business, and although my book is now out of print, I do have a few copies left at home, contact me to purchase them via my blogsite using PayPal or by check or money order $14.00 includes shipping and handling.

The cover art by Mathias Valdez of Last Leaf Printing takes the book as object” concept to a lovely level.  Span also makes a great, inexpensive gift for the book or nature lover on your list.

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Focus on your Form, not your target.

Focus on your Form, not your target.

Master canoe builder Keola Sequeira, one of Hawaii’s celebrated wood craftsmen shows us his favorite pastime and family tradition, the Japanese art of Kyudo.

Dove True Beauty Sketches

Dove True Beauty Sketches

How we see ourselves is very important, our judgment and inner language can truly be a lens through which we see ourselves and others. We are beautiful and others see this beauty.

Remember those New Year’s Resolutions?

 

Spring is a time of reawakening.

Just as the Earth is waking up and the life force in dormant seeds has begun to work toward germination and sprouting this is a time when we can begin to see some changes in the areas of our life we were working on. On hikes I find myself eyeing the buds on the tips of the cottonwood branches and watching for the aspen catkins to pop open. When I am in the yard I examine the garden beds for sprouts, gauging the progress the poppies are making and searching for early signs of crocuses or daffodils.

It’s a great time to check in on those critical areas of Family, Finance, Health, Relationships and our various goals and to do lists. How are we doing? What can we see as “markers” that progress is being made in these areas or other parts of our life. Are we making decisions and taking action in the direction of our dreams? Do we need to change direction a bit, slow down or speed up? Do we need to redirect a bit more of our time or energy in a particular direction or maybe just get back on track?

…[More]

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“Change your thoughts, change your life.”
~Wayne Dyer

David Anthony Martin: Empowered Path Coach.
Your Ally in Achieving Your Goals, navigating inspired Life Transformation and Living Your Dream!

Contact me to set up a FREE initial conversation.
I’d love to get to know you and see how we can partner together toward inspired action
and success on your authentic path forward into the life of your dreams.

davidamartin@live.com

 

New Poem of the Week: Nightlight

I have been noting much of the early Spring miracles as of late, the unique quality of this time of year in Colorado is that it transcends seasons, some days are golden and balmy and I am grinning at the sprouted poppies and caressing new subtle colors in the thin skin of trees and the next day a soft blizzard comes to whiten and water the world, but a surprising thing happened this evening, something about the quality of light and stillness that evoked a summer morning memory when I was working on the Hobbs Family Farm in Avondale, Colorado.

 

nightlight

nights ink fills in the spaces between tree trunks
the moon spreads herself softly as snowlight
in the limbs of apple trees is that same stillness
remembered flashing in white patches on wings
…[More]

~ David Anthony Martin
copyright 2013
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More about the Hobbs Family Farm can be found on their Facebook page or at the website for their organic Farm Direct Seed Company.

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This poem is part of my current notebook. I have a manuscript, Deepening the Map being considered for publication, another manuscript, Owl Light nearly ready to submit and well on my way with this next notebook toward another manuscript in the works. I am also making great headway on my novel Lost Dog.

If you like this poem, consider reading a few of my new poems on my blog and checking out my book Span (Rhizome Publishing 2011, 2012) which will soon be out of print, but currently can still be purchased as an eBook and read on most devices or as a beautiful paperback to be held in your hands and taken with you on your day.  The cover art by Mathias Valdez of Last Leaf Printing takes the book as object” concept to a lovely level.  Span also makes a great, inexpensive gift for the book or nature lover on your list.

If you are unable to find a distributor with available copies, I do have a few copies left at home, contact me to purchase them via my blogsite and PayPal.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

New Poem of the Week: Underlying Truths About Poetry and Who We Are

“The truth of a poem is actually much deeper
than whether or not something really happened.
What matters is an undergirding truth that I think is the power of poetry
and I think that, when I veer from that even by a syllable,
it’s my job to know if I’ve veered from that.”
~Dr. Elizabeth Alexander

Listening to On Being with Krista Tippet is a regular part of my week although it airs on Sunday, I do not always listen on Sunday but stream it when I have a chance. Last night while cutting vegetables for our salad I was listening to Krista’s interview with Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, who is a poet and professor at Yale University who recently wrote and delivered “Praise Song for the Day” at Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration.

As a poet this interview was very interesting, however it’s impact went beyond interesting as it seemed to speak directly to a poem I had crafted this year. When Elizabeth Alexander said that poetry is “not all love, love, love,
and I’m sorry the dog died.” it immediately reminded me of my poem, “Sometimes, dogs”

This poem, “Sometimes, dogs” is a poem that gave me pause to reflect as it is the only poem I have written in which the “plot” and movement of events is not accurately drawn from a single experience in my life, rather it is a hybrid of experiences woven together into an anecdotal narrative-styled poem. It is a poem of experience; a poem, which I hope, allows us to “…think about who we are.” 

A bit later in the interview she elaborates, saying “You know, when I say ‘poetry is not all love, love, love,’ I mean romantic love is where we go first with the word. But really there is so much more to the word. The word is sober. The word is grave. The word is not just about something light and happy and pleasurable. The word calls up deep, deep responsibilities.”

She talks about how poetry has always been about community, that at it’s roots it is part of the societal discussion. She implies that this is the impetus of poetry, or at least a part of it’s functioning, when she says that it’s essence is “I gotta tell you my story. I gotta tell you what happened. Let’s think about who we are.”

Even though I understand the context of what Dr. Alexander was speaking to, I also received a different message, a message that helped me to understand my own poem. “Sometimes, dogs” is a poem about being sorry that the dog died, and so much more which falls into the category of both about love and about the dog dying and about sober, grave issues which I believe are calling us to brave, deep responsibilities to talk about who we are.

sometimes, dogs

If you have had a dog,
then you know their pure love,
and most, their frailty

sometimes, dogs outlive their offspring
yet their lifespan is still shorter than their owners’
especially the children they’ve grown up playing with

you have tasted the sweetness your own life
in their tail wagging from ear to ear
as much you have tasted your own mortality
in the foreshadow of their passing

… [Read More]

~David Anthony Martin
Copyright 2013

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You can stream the pod cast or read the transcript from the interview with Dr. Alexander at On Being.

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This poem is part of my current notebook. I have a manuscript, Deepening the Map being considered for publication, another manuscript, Owl Light nearly ready to submit and well on my way with this next notebook toward another manuscript in the works.

If you like this poem, consider reading a few of my new poems on my blog and checking out my book Span (Rhizome Publishing 2011, 2012) which will soon be out of print, but currently can still be purchased as an eBook and read on most devices or as a beautiful paperback to be held in your hands and taken with you on your day.  The cover art by Mathias Valdez of Last Leaf Printing takes the book as object” concept to a lovely level.  Span also makes a great, inexpensive gift for the book or nature lover on your list.

If you are unable to find a distributor with available copies, I do have a few copies left at home, contact me to purchase them via my blogsite and PayPal.

_____________________________________________________________________