Dedicated to My Muse: And Other Inspirations

By Heath Gertner

Dedicated to My Muse and Other Inspirations is a collection of Heath’s works that were inspired by any number of people and events. More importantly to Heath, its completion is the culmination of an effort to honor his mother, as she, more than anyone else, had urged him to move past his doubts and simply create. Before he finished, however, his mother unexpectedly passed away. Feeling heartbroken that his slow work left the book unfinished at the time of his mother’s passing, the collection went untouched for five years, until Heath found new inspiration to finally complete the work in his mother’s memory.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781481733304

Heath Gertner

Heath Gertner did not set out to write or share poetry, prose or anything else that he would deem worthwhile, worthy, or of any interest for others to read. Though desiring to write more often, he is uncomfortable putting pen to paper. In fact, the shy author from Lakewood, New Jersey is more content remaining in the background, sharing his words with those he writes for and about, or simply holding the work for himself. He was a voracious reader growing up, citing his parents’ influence and a den that housed a library’s worth of books for Heath and his three brothers. From Ribsy to the Hardy Boys and from Wordsworth to Shakespeare, it was all readily accessible. While at George Mason University, Heath gravitated towards literature electives while earning a degree in history. Upon graduation he had enough credits to earn a “concentration in English Literature” to place alongside his history degree.

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© 2013 Heath Gertner. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  04/13/2021

ISBN: 978-1-4817-3329-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-3330-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013905816

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views

of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Dedicated to My Muse

One day I may have a book, and

Like most, or some authors I will

Dedicate the pages I have

Toiled over.

For my Muse it will

Read. And I will go on to tell

How I still

Miss you. I will explain to my

Readers how so many of my

Poems, stories, vignettes, or other

Prose were inspired by any number

Of important people, or people in

General, who have passed through

My life like so many ticks of the

Clock. But none, no other but

You, has ever Enchanted and

Delighted my heart so as to

Subjugate my whole Being like

Light caught in a black hole.

I will tell how so many

Years have passed and I have

Still not escaped Your

Voice. How it echoes in all my

Work; background music to

Every inspiration I have had.

I will explain how

In Your Eyes I found my Soul,

In Your Heart I have left mine,

How in each breath that leaves

My lips I feel Your name.

How I see You are in every star that

Heaven shines each night,

Each drop of Sun that

Pours down like so many

Tears I have cried. How

I hear You in each

Whisper of the wind,

Each gentle rustle of every

Leaf. I will explain how I surrender

To You the way the

Day succumbs to the Night.

And how in that semi-conscience state, where

Daydreaming takes place, where one

Can control the Dream,

I visit You. I hold Your hand.

I walk with You and talk with You.

I Love You.

And how the words I write there are

Always right. I will tell the

Reader how I say them

Over and over so that they

Wash over me like waves,

But once gone from the Dream,

They fade the way footsteps

Wash away along the shore. How the

Imprint remains. So I quickly

Write, trying to fill in the gaps as an

Archeologist pieces together the

Past. I feel the words, Your Voice

Sighing in my heart –

And I know I’ve failed again

As a tide of sadness cleans

Away the last memories of that last

Dream. And I will tell my

Readers that somewhere in

Forever I will recall each beautiful

Note You and I shared in my Dream, and

I will share Them with all so that

They too can touch some Heaven

They desire. They will understand that when

I do I will no longer write.

My circle will be complete.

My heart finally whole.

I will need no more

Inspirations. No more

Sprites. No more Angels.

And I will end the dedication

Of my book to You,

My one and only Muse.

I will sign it "I miss You,

And still, forever, Love You."

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To my mom,

I originally began this work while you were still here. I am so sorry I never completed this before you passed. You urged me to write and share, and because we never contemplate how little time there is, I did not press myself. Know I always wanted to make you proud and hope that you are smiling down on me. I love and miss you.

For my Muse,

I cannot explain or ever repay what the blessing of your friendship meant to me.

I can only hope I have in some small way touched you so that I am always fondly embraced, remembered and warmly received in your heart.

Thank you.

I miss You, and still, forever,

Love You.

Dedications:

Thank you to all who have helped and inspired me along the way, especially the following:

Mom and Dad

Sean, Eric and Mitchel (my brothers)

Karen and Al

Missy

Nikki

Valerie

Randy

Contents

Dedicated to My Muse

All I See is Your Beauty

You’re Beautiful

What I know of Beauty

Never has there Been

She’s Ogled

I Know She Loves Me Too

Sometimes I Wonder My Muse

It Was Never Said Enough

Words Words Words

Because of Pets

Goodnight My Pet

A Special Place for You

Horse’s Gift

Mother Nature

Autumn Day

Reality

The Real New York

Body Count

I Miss You/ Longing

A Poet’s Voice is Never Silenced

A Mother’s Voice is Never Silenced

I Close My Eyes and There You Are

Autumn Afternoon

Postcard

Butterfly Journey

Ebb & Flow

She Lingers on My Mind

Underneath the Dogwood

Good Morning Muse

New Year

New Year’s Poem

The New Year

Lost History

Why Long for a Park?

Lakewood Little League

Village

Short Stories

The Red Ribbon

That Damned Engine

Lost/Searching

I Walk

Living Carefree Without Doubt

Schooner

For Poetry

And She Writes Poetry

How To Read Prose

Tracie’s Poem

For Cally

My Muse Rests in a Field

Lyrical

Blues Men Strummin’

A Wink and a Smile

Time is Fast

A Pictures Worth a Thousand Words

Death of an Artist

The Curse

Sadness

You Win:

Demons

Covered