Soft Landings in Poetry 2

By Mel Senator

This lovely book takes a reader to the most familiar and comforting of places -- seashore, countryside, bike path -- but each time there is something new. We stand on the beach and notice the mysterious patterns of birds overhead, the casual but poignant spread of beach toys, tangled seaweed, and we see them differently. Senator paints for us the moments of life that repeat endlessly but that we experience uniquely each time, whether in the simple bliss found in a respite from cold weather, or the complexity and mystery of a friend's mind, or even momentous self-discovery reached during an argument. In this book we find moments of humble reflection on relationships, the hope and wistfulness and even despair that give us the rhythms and colors of our days -- a collection that is profound and simple all at once.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Sep 26, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462049868

Mel Senator

Mel Senator is the author of Catskill Summers (2000), Reflections in Haiku (2006), Soft Landings in Poetry (2009) and Soft Landings in Poetry 2 (2011). He is an adjunct professor of American history and teacher education. Mr. Senator and his wife, Shelly, enjoy hiking and biking the shores and marshes along the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They spend summers at their home on Cape Cod near the National Seashore.

Book preview

Contents

at nauset marsh

colors of low tide

running to summer

in a flash

whales at race point

the next tide

poolside in california

a beach scene

changes at nauset marsh

choosing opposite directions

speculation

images @ the beach

the dear one

cezannes studio aix-en-provence

a day at the beach: trilogy

dinner with the french: from our trip to france

the marsh trail

seal migrations

the dream

the surfers

fragments of life

a low tide perspective

36 glass windows

vignettes in sound

harmony

beached

playing the letters d

of terns moses seals & gulls

spent energy

seeking the abstract

a moment at nauset marsh bridge

the street person

room 8

mist meets sun

the confession

8 oil wells

of cormorants crows gulls pelicans

tsunami waves

gilbertos postponement

the sail to ephesus

turkish mist

backyard chatter

4 bicycles at crescent beach

babys walk

shrapnel in the a m

at coastguard beach

riding the rain

todays birds

meanings & shimmers

analysis

gulls & seals in blue h2o

the nut

leaves of darkness

the madness of pride

beach wash up

the blue ship ajax

safe harbor

evening picnic

plans & the unknown

butterfly beach in cloud

old friends at lunch

neverending in white

thoughts on a friday afternoon

hendrys beach p m

Soft Landings

In Poetry 2

Also by Mel Senator

Catskill Summers

Reflections in Haiku

Soft Landings in Poetry

Acknowledgements

To Susan Senator, thank you for reading the manuscript, for the depth of criticism and for your kind, thoughtful, consistent encouragement. I appreciate your special interest in this book and the discussions we had about its content, meaning. Thank you for writing the inspiring back cover description.

To Ned Batchelder for formatting this book and once again providing excellent guidance in preparation of the manuscript for publication. Thank you for your patience and careful explanations during the publication process.

To Laura Senator, thank you for reading the manuscript, for the encouragement, questions and helpful suggestions. Your reactions to the poems were much appreciated.

To the many friends who read occasional poems and whose comments encouraged me to write this book.

So many thanks goes to my wife, Shelly, who walked the beaches, hiked the trails and biked the miles with me. Who listened carefully, judged carefully and offered suggestions from the heart. Thank you for your patience, thoughtfulness and understanding. You provided loving support throughout the writing of this book. Thank you for the cover photograph and author photograph.

Dedication

Dedicated to the joy of writing poetry. To the process of thinking, seeing, hearing and integrating one’s thoughts within