PTSD...and Poetry...the Nexus.......

Its 16 June 2010 here in Washington DC and I am finishing some re-writes today as well as some dissertation work. The reality of this is it looks like another couple of weeks of writing before I can re-submit the abstract to my dissertation. That said there is a lot of good research currently being executed by the armed services in regards to PTSD studies.

There was an interesting article in the Psychology Today Blog back in December, 2009. The article(s) exemplified the manner in which many in the military looked at PTSD…”be a man and get through it” … in the end that is NOT the approach to deal specifically with PTSD…quite the opposite. I will attach the link so that you can read through the article and link to the Boston globe article as well.
(Link: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/promoting-hope-preventing-suicide/200912/be-man-and-get-through-it)

The below listed piece of poem is for a second work that I am currently penning…the difference from my first work and this new initiative is that these poems are set in contemporary America and are not rooted in service to country but in thought of day to day life...in essence the thoughts of the day and what a man thinks of as the hours tick by. More to follow!

Enjoy the day!

Brian

What it meant to Love you…


Your gentle touch and warm embrace

Carried me on high

You kept my heart within your soul

I knew…I wouldn’t die



And when I wake to feel your breath

Upon my face…so near

I’ll pull you close and ask the Lord

Let our life be free of fear


Of living without each other

In a world…so full of pain

You given me a purpose

And for that…I shall remain


Always true to your heart

Forever…I promise thee

To hold your hand…and keep you close

For this…I do decree


That when I said that I loved you

I meant that…and so much more

You are the life given to me

For then…just as before


You will be my sunshine

My life…and all that’s true

Whatever the amount of time I have

I give it all…to you

Another Day...Away from Me

8 June 2010 in Washington, DC…it is very much a nice day here. I am on my way to the hospital to chat with the doctor regarding medications. As many of you know I use to take several types of medicines that helped me deal with my Reiters Syndrome effectively however based on the new heart medicines that I am on I am no longer able to take them. The net result is that my “Reiters” is coming back in full force. It’s amazing what the medication was able to do over the past 10 years in allowing me the opportunity to ski, skate and run…now those activities as well as just day to day functionality are in jeopardy.

I am sitting here thinking of my grandfather Mike (Papa)who suffered immeasurably at the hands of arthritis…and how my grandmother took care of him from thetime I was a youngster up through his passing. We have advanced so far from the standpoint of medicine and treatments for arthritis from where my grandfather stood 25 years ago…yet we still have so far to go. Another campaign…for another time.

Jake and Ian have their Colonial Forge Lacrosse Dinner this evening and I will be in attendance. Very much looking forward to Jake’s All Star Selection announcement as well as Ian’s nod to Varsity Goalie for the 2010-2011 season…should be a great evening.

I spent several nights wide awake till 2 AM and beyond revising the poem below. It was originally submitted to the publisher however it was sent back several times for revision. It’s absolutely amazing in working with a publisher…especially one that has never done a modern piece of poetry previously…how do these companies stay in business?

This morning I received an email from Ms. Jehanne Dubrow. For those of you who don’t know her (and up till last week I did not either!) she is a published author of three poetry collections; most recently Stateside which depicts her experience as a military spouse through poetry. I had heard her speaking last week while listening to NPR and given the title and subject matter of my book thought she might be interested in discussing the similarities as well as differences between writing as a spouse (her work)versus as the actual soldier on the ground (my work)…all the while using poetry as a medium. After explaining the trials and tribulations of working with a publisher her parting comment…”welcome to the club” ...follow-on discussions should be lively!

You can read about Ms. Dubrow at http://gefiltereview.blogspot.com/

Enjoy the day…and warmest regards

Brian


Away From Me

Each day passes
Often slow
I miss this woman
But does she know

That the time
We’ve been away
I’ve missed her with
Each passing day

We were one
In heart and soul
Together always
Our lives were whole

We walked a path
That bought us near
To the things we loved
And held so dear

She was a ray
That shined so bright
I loved this woman
Both day and night

To be a couple
That time could see
I needed her so
And on one knee

I’d make her mine
In all I do
Our love was one
For this she knew