A Year in the Life of an Unemployed Poet

By Cindy Rickey

Written over the period of one year, this poetry collection follows the authors existential despair and depression, the therapeutic process, and the discovery of inner peace found in the truthfulness and beauty of our natural environment. This deeply personal journey is shared by the poet to help others realize they are not alone as they travel their own difficult and distinctive road in search of individual purpose, meaning, and authenticity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 11, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456743314

Cindy Rickey

Cindy Rickey holds a BS in English from Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY and an MS in Health Services Administration from Iona College, New Rochelle, NY. She currently resides in Airmont, NY and is a member of the Hudson Valley Writers’ Center and the Academy of American Poets. The author’s poetry is just a part of the joyful noise in the Rickey household which also includes two boisterous Shetland sheepdogs, two spoiled Yorkshire terriers, a cranky parrotlet, an extremely funny husband, and a daughter who plays ten musical instruments.

Book preview

Acknowledgments

I acknowledge with loving thanks my husband, Peter Rickey, who inspires me every day.  It has been a wonderful experience to share my life with someone who always encourages me to find my own happiness and supports me in that endeavor with his entire being.   He is truly the funniest person I know, and I am so grateful for his ability to make me laugh.

I extend very special thanks to Manny Vavolizza, our Mr. V, my high school English teacher, who was able to cut through our adolescent bravado to reach our souls and still supports and encourages us many, many years later.

In addition, I would like to thank Jon Katz for his openness and candor about his own life struggles and who through his writing encourages us all to find our inner creative voices and let them burst forth to the world whether our song is one of joy or sorrow.

I am also very thankful for writings of the late Dr. Rollo May, in particular his book, The Courage to Create, which helped me work through the self-doubt and self-consciousness inherent in the creative process and for his understanding of the importance and societal value of the artists’ creation of Being from Non-Being.

Finally, I especially thank my daughter, Kimberly Harrison, for her superb editing and critical review and for filling my life with music.

Learn what you are and be such.

Pindar (552 BC-433 BC)

Contents

Preface

The Cantica

Autumn Garden

Ode to My Male Beatrice (Portinari) il medico bello della mia anima

4:00 a.m.

Bleeding

The Swimmer

Spring Leaves

The Therapeutic Hour

50 Minutes

Depression

Fear

Friday Night in South Mountain Park

Patient, Heal Thyself

Freedom

Spring Twilight at Ramapo Reservation

This Week

Do You Remember

Early Morning

Love’s Paramour, Pain

In Pursuit of Happiness

Spring’s Depression

Spring Planting

Emergence

Writing

Reality

Assateague

Early Morning Sunrise in Airmont

July

Late Night in the Lowcountry: Don’t let de hag ride ya

Adirondack Desire in Early Spring

Schopenhauer’s Porcupines

Queen Anne’s Lace:  Nichols, New York

Sunflower Sotten

The Manhattan Avenue Buzz

For My Dancing Cowboy

The Butterfly

Saturday Afternoon

So Tired

Assateague Wild

The Bear Part I.  Pisgah, North Carolina

Guilt or Pleasure

One Leaf

Modern Poetry

Where Did You Hide It?

In Homage to Modern Poetry by Endowed Chairs … Or Not

Method

Mickey

Tanner

Shabbat Shuva

Yankee Stadium

Clear Vision

Route 80 West Sunday 7:30 a.m.

Lucidity

For Jean-Louis Jack En Souvenir

The Bear Part II.  Branchville, New Jersey

Brown Trout

In Honor of My Fellow Poets

The  Unicorn in Captivity ca. 1495-1505

Societal Norms

The Waters

Binghamton, New York

A Poet Defined

Illicit Love

Education (I ain’t paintin’ it black, Mick)

Clouds

Zen

Life’s Catechism

The Therapy Patient

Fog on a Monday Morning

Intimacy of the One-Sided Variety

Out of Sight Stays

Life

Swinging

Blackbirds

The Dichotomy of Life

Winter Storm

The Age of Clumsy

The Catskills

Mountain Girl

Willowemoc!  Willowemoc!

Reflection

Truth

The Ephemeral

The Twist

The Edge

365 Days to I

Epilogue

Preface

This collection of poetry was written during the great recession of 2009-2010 and the