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Short Poems (Volume one) by Gene Burnett

Sample Poems

These poems were written between the Summer of 1999 and December of 2004. Some were written as my part of poetry dialogues with friends. While not conforming to any particular style of short poetry, I did limit myself to what would fit on a lined 4 X 6 index card. The total number of lines could not exceed the number of lines on the card and I wrote in my normal sized writing.

For the past 2 years I have not written any poems at all. Recently, after attending several local Poetry Slams, I decided to enter and read some of my own. I found that I really enjoyed sharing them out loud. I’ve also become interested in writing more poetry. Before embarking on a new phase of writing, I decided to “clean house” and organize what I’d already written. The result of that housecleaning is this book.

I teach T’ai-chi for a living and spend a lot of time outdoors teaching and practicing. To me T’ai-Chi is an interesting mix of wild nature and human nature. When I’m practicing T’ai-chi I feel my animal biological self, meeting my human civilized self. For this reason I prefer to practice T’ai-Chi in parks, where nature meets culture, rather than in a civilized training hall or out in the wilderness. A lot of my inspiration comes from what I observe in this ongoing process of balancing my wild nature and my civilized nature. Love and relationship is another arena where these two natures meet and is another source of inspiration for me.

I hope you enjoy these short poems and feel inspired, not only to write some of your own, but to share them with your friends and community.

Click for Photo of the Poetry book

Gene Burnett
Ashland, OR
Spring 2006

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Sample Poems:

Walking to work
On a cold Fall day
Unconsumed by particulars
Feeling into
The wholeness of my self
Something better
Is not better
And any road I’m on
Is the right one

When I can’t bear
To look in the mirror
I resort to cleaning it

I think of loving you
And wonder
What I might write
And I see you
Stopping our walk
To stand by a small tree
Holding a half-open
Magnolia blossom
Softly, with both hands
Your eyes closed
Your nose deep in Heaven
Flowers
Are part of your religion
And you
Are part of mine

If I had a choice
I’d rather remember
The heron’s stillness
And perfect attention
Than how I turned to talk
And missed the strike

Copies are $8.00 each (includes shipping and handling within the U.S.), or

Please email me (mail@geneburnett.com) for S & H outside the U.S.

Send check or money order to:
Gene Burnett
549 B Street #3
Ashland, Or 97520

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Gene Burnett (541) 488-1926 Mail@GeneBurnett.com

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