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Enjoy the written
and visual trip
to Alaska
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Mt. McKinley trying to
peak beyond the clouds
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Poetical Journal © by Bob Casey
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Mission: To provide poetical and
...............................thoughtful comments on life
VOLUME VII – ISSUE 9: Sunday, October 26, 2008 – Issue #86
Alaskan Issue
Welcome to Zambia, 71st Country
CONTENT
- Welcome & Online Version
- Opening Comments from Bob: This Issue
- Become a Premium Subscriber
- Poems: The River, The View, and On the Lodge Porch
- My Latest Book – An Oasis in a Cluttered World is now available.
- Vignette: Denali Highway
- Recommendations
- Quotable Quotes
- A Bit of Humor
- Pay It Forward Update
- New Premium Subscriber
- PJ Forum
- Reminder: If you are filtering...
- PJ Demographics – All 50 states and 71 countries
- PJ Online
- PJ Policies
- Subscription information
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Welcome
I am pleased to have you as a reader. If you enjoy the PJ, please encourage others to subscribe. If your country is not listed in the demographic section at the end, please let me know so I can update the list.
The next issue will come out on Sunday, November 30, 2008.
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Opening Comments from Bob - This Issue
Alaska: After only two days at home from Hawaii, I headed to Alaska on a photography trip. Two friends and I spent one week experiencing and absorbing the beauty of the fiftieth state. Despite the fact that it rained daily and dark clouds were in abundance, we still were able to capture some fine shots. Most of all, we had a wonderful time. The vastness of Alaska is almost overwhelming. Crossing the unpaved Denali Highway (slightly over 100 miles) took us almost eight hours. However, I must confess those hours included a few spent in stopping to take pictures and enjoying the views. As you read through this issue, I hope you gain a feel for this beautiful state.
The Premium Blog is online. If you are a premium subscriber and have not received your access code, please contact me.
Become a Premium Subscriber
It is easy! To learn more about premium membership, click here.
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Three Poems this Issue
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The River
Flowing, flowing,
...the Source
...that forever was
...that forever will be
In our veins
...in our steps
...with every breath
Unexplainable
...indefinable
But there
Deep abiding love
...that raises the Spirit
...beyond self
All encompassing
...all forgiving
Surely humankind’s
...greatest gift
The Source
...flowing, flowing
Invites us to swim and bathe
...in the River of Eternal Being
Comments: I wrote the draft while in Hawaii and finished it while in Alaska. I will let you make the interpretations.
The View
Chairs aligned,
...people staring,
...when will it come into view?
Clouds lifting,
...majestic peak
...peeks through.
McKinley displays
...all her glory.
Comments: Each morning, for three days at the resort, tourists sat in the chairs mesmerized, facing Mt. McKinley. Each hoped to gain a glimpse of the U.S.'s tallest peak. Sadly, except for a few moments when part of the peak was revealed, clouds covered the summit during all three days. In fact, Alaska has had one of the wettest summers ever.
On the Lodge Porch
Others listen to lectures
...on dog sledding and gold panning.
The porch and rocker
...are all mine.
The sun shyly peers
...through the ubiquitous clouds
...creating a golden sheen
...upon vibrant leafed aspens and poplars.
Brisk, pure air,
...dares you to inhale
...deep and long.
The rustle and gurgle
...of the mountain stream
...soothes, enticing you to sleep.
Alone, peaceful.
Comments: We flew into Kanisha, the closest you can get by vehicle to Mt. McKinley in Denali Park. The trip out by bus is ninety miles long that take five+ hours. While there, I found a favorite place on the lodge porch and wrote the draft to this poem.
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| Stream on the way out of Denali |
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Tourists looking out in anticipation of seeing
Mt. McKinley peek through the clouds
Alas, no such luck! |
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The bus where a young adventurer Christopher
McCandless spent his final hours bringing
conclusion to his search for life's meaning
(Immortalized in Jon Krakauer’s book Into the Wild) |
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| Part of the view as I wrote from the porch in Kanisha |
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My Book, An Oasis in a Cluttered World, is HERE!
An Oasis in a Cluttered World is now available. If you enjoy the Poetical Journal and this web site, you will enjoy this book. It includes vignettes, poems, recommendations, and guest submissions. (If you order through my web site, you will save a bit, and if you so wish, I will sign the copy.) For more information, go to
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Tundra in its fall glory along the Denali Highway
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Near Denali National Park
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Vignette: Denali Highway
Accelerate! Brake! Swerve! Hold-on! All are part of the driving experience on the one hundred and thirty-five miles of mostly unpaved Denali Highway. In return for these physical discomforts are incredible views as one crosses through the heart of Alaska. Our journey started upon departing from the Princess Lodge in Cooper River, a wonderful place to stay with views, fine food, and large comfortable rooms. Heading north on Hwy 4 for about 35 minutes we came to the small crossroad town of Paxson, the eastern access to the Denali Highway. The first ten miles were a breeze, paved and gradual twists with gentle hills. I thought, “This is not bad. Why do they say, ‘no rental’ cars on this road?” I soon found out as the pavement turned to grave, and we proceeded to climb. Luckily, despite the mist and occasional rain, the road was hard-packed so there was no danger of having our Jeep become stuck. Also, Mike, who was driving, has visited Alaska many times and has driven this road several times. However, for the three of us, this was the first time in the fall. Our first photo stop was a herd of caribou moving near a stream as they crossed the tundra. Stops became more frequent as we tried to capture the subtle colors of tundra flora that had morphed into hues of purple, red, and blue. We took a packed-lunch break around 1 P.M., barely halfway to Cantwell, the western terminus. The cold mountain water rushed by as the surrounding flora exploded in vibrant yellows. As we drove further, passing other cars occupied by many hunters and fishermen, my comfort level increased. Though the traffic was minimal, we were not alone. There were also well-maintained picnic and rest areas with more than adequate toilet facilities. Gone were the many cautionary signs that exist in the Lower Forty-eight. Frankly, the experience along this magnificent stretch was mind-boggling. About eight hours later, we connected to the main highway and headed north for thirty-minutes to our hotel for the evening. Upon arriving, we discovered that our reservations were for another hotel about 2.5 hours south. However, that wild drive is another story.
(Below is the jeep after the 8 hours on the Denali Highway.)
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If you have a guest vignette you would like to submit, please do so. Not only will I enjoy reading it, but if agreeable with you and space permitting, printing it in a future issue. The vignette should be written in paragraph form and relate a personal story or event. Equally important, it should fit the overall tenor of this newsletter. Ideally, it should not exceed twenty lines. Please send to bob@poeticaljourneys.com. |
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Taken in the Denali National Park
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Along the Denali HIghway
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| Another along the Denali Highway |
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| Glacier near Alyeska Ski Area not too far a drive from Anchorage |
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| Two tourists walking dangerously close to a small glacier |
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| Recommendations
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| Add Alaska to your visit list: If you have never visited this area but are looking for spectacular scenery, then Alaska should be on your list. Secondly, if you enjoy seafood, some of the freshest and best is available there. One restaurant I especially enjoyed was Ray's Waterfront in Seward. It is right on the water. Enjoy the chowder and halibut or salmon.
Pictured on the right, Sam and Mike, my travel companions are getting ready to enjoy their meals at Ray's.
- The specail continues on Poet Prints. They make wonderful holiday gifts.
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Lunch stop location on the Denali Highway
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Near the Kenai River
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"Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death" – Albert Einstein
"You cannot kill time without injuring eternity." – Henry David Thoreau (1817-1962) An American author and philosopher.
"Only the supremely wise and the abysmally ignorant do not change." – Confucius
"The destruction of your so-called enemy is an outdated concept." – Dalai Lama
"Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing, and when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance." – Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) a Lebanese-American artist, poet, writer, philosopher and theologian. He is the third-bestselling poet in history after William Shakespeare and Laozi.
A Bit of Humor
A bit of laughter is healthy for the soul.
This girl needed some money, so she is doing odd-jobs around her neighborhood. She decides she's not making enough money, so she goes to a rich neighborhood. She walks up to this house and rings the doorbell. The guy answers and tells her she can paint the porch. He gives her a can of paint and $25. When he goes inside, his wife says, "$25! Does she know that the porch wraps all the way around the house?"
"Oh, she'll do fine." the guy says.
An hour later, the doorbell rings. It's the girl. She says, "I'm finished. I even had some extra paint, so I put another coat on."
The guy is surprised. Then the girl says, "Oh, and by the way, that's not a Porsche, that's a Ferrari."
(Golfers will understand this one. Again, special thanks to AQuickLaugh.com.)
By clicking on this link you can see winners from earlier contests. Anyone who has won a poet print in the past and would like to be pictured on the Grand Winners Page, please send via email a jpg of you holding the print.
As of October 25, 2008, the following has been pledged:
- Total Monetary: $3,952
- Total Volunteer Hours: 1025 hours
- Number of Premium Subscribers: 36
To learn more about premium membership and what it entails, click here.
Welcome to New Premium Subscriber
Welcome to new premium subscribers Island Woman from Ohio who donated time to a local nature conservancy.
PJ Forum
I regret that I cannot publish all of the comments. However, I personally responded to each one. Below are samplings of comments received this month. If you have comments, recommendations, or suggestions for the PJ, please email them to bob@poeticaljourneys.com.
"Issue 85 - superb photography mon ami, as are the words and implication of Throw Away and Ahh. . . . I'm still typing left-handed but its getting better if laborious." – Jerry from Victoria, Australia (Ed.: Jerry, whether left or right, love hearing from you and knowing that you are improving.)
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"Sorry that Ike paid you a visit and happy that the oak didn't fall on your house. Our back yard is devastated - all of our trees broken and bent, fences down, gazebo was up against back door. We evacuated and it was a sad sight to come back to. However, we are so lucky as compared to people on the Coast. Loved the Hawaii pictures. . ." – Bobbie from Pearland, TX (Ed.: Bobbie, I am glad that you are safe despite the mess to your yard. Compare to what happened in Ohio, the Texas coast suffered far more.)
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"What a plethora of riches arrived in my email today. Not one but two issues, the August one did not manage to arrive through the ether last month. For a while there was a dreadful feeling of something being wrong either at your end of things or more likely with the electronic equipment here. Rather it should be said with the operator of this machine. . ." – Elspeth from Montreal (Ed.: As always, wonderful to hear from you. Yes, delivery was a problem in August as well as the September issue. I hope it is cleared up with this one. Always pleased to learn when a subscriber notices that an issue didn't arrive...:-)
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"Zambia is not here." – Joseph from Zambia (Ed.: Joseph, thanks for letting me know that Zambia should be added, the 71st country.)
IF YOU ARE FILTERING
Like you, I receive many unwanted e-mails. However, sometimes some e-mails I want to receive are filtered for a variety of reasons. May I suggest that you place the following in your address book or approved senders list: poetjournal@poeticaljourneys.com This process will increase the odds of you receiving your issue.
Reader Demographics
Geographically, subscribers reside in all U.S. states. Subscribers also live in Albania, Argentina, Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, & Western Australia), Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, & Quebec), Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, England, Estonia, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad - W.I., Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wales, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
If your state, province, or country is not mentioned, please let me know.
PJ Online
To read or copy back issues of the PJ, click here.
The next issue will be out Sunday, November 30, 2008.
Until next time - joy and peace,
Bob
PJ Policies
Guest Poetry: Often readers send me a poem stating they would like it included in the PJ. Many of the poems are well written. Although I enjoy reading them, at this time I do not include guest poetry as part of this newsletter. Instead, I suggest that they submit them for inclusion in the Guest Poet section of my web site. A number have chosen to do so. However, time limitations and quality govern the number that will be accepted. I currently am not accepting poetry from minors.
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Guest Vignettes: On occasion, I publish guest vignettes submitted by one of my readers. If a guest vignette is submitted and selected, the author understands that there is no remuneration provided; the vignette will be included in the e-mailed and web site versions; and will remain posted until I choose to remove it from the site. In all cases, the guest vignette remains the property of the guest author who has given permission for its usage as described in sentences one and two.
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Privacy: I take it very seriously. Your name will never be sold to a third party nor will we disclose at any time your subscription information.
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Unsolicited Mailing: The PJ is never sent unless requested. If you believe you received the PJ unsolicited, please notify me. I will unsubscribe you.
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Reproduction and Forwarding: While the material is copyrighted, you have permission to forward all or part of this newsletter. You may also quote from it. Out of common courtesy (We will forget all the legal jargon and requirements.), I would appreciate at least a mention or a footnote. -- Much appreciated!
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Recommendations: All recommendations are personal ones offered for your information. I receive no remuneration of any kind from the sources or individuals being recommended – other than when I recommend purchasing my books. Actually, many are never aware of their listing. One may ask, "Why do you provide recommendations for specific establishments or locations, especially since many of your readers are worldwide and may never be able to use the information?" The key word is "may." When I travel, I plan much of the itinerary myself. This planning includes reading and listening to recommendations from professional and personal sources. My wish is that any suggestions provided will assist some readers as they make their plans. (Incidentally, I have already received feedback that readers use them.)
Subscription: To unsubscribe click on your individualized unsubscribe e-mail at the end of this newsletter. (Not appropriate for this web page.) Or send a BLANK e-mail (Be sure not to write anything in the subject or body) to leave-poetjournal@pro.netatlantic.com
Bob Casey
Poetical Journeys
P.O. Box 319
Fredericktown, OH 43019
bob@poeticaljourneys.com
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