25 Comments
User's avatar
Troy Putney's avatar

Honestly, is there anything you aren't supremely talented at? This is gorgeous and powerful and just sings with life. More poems, please!

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

Ha! Such sweet timing Troy, I needed that. My current employer just told me I'm surplus to requirements, and I'll be made redundant shortly, so I'm not supremely talented at that 😂

I'm going to spend a little time writing more, so poems can most likely be supplied at your bequest!

Thanks pal, and I hope you're well.

Expand full comment
Troy Putney's avatar

Oh no! I’m really sorry to hear that, Jonathan. You could never possibly be surplus, and they will regret their decision. I, however, we be happy to have more to read from you! I hope there is a silver-lining in this change for you.

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

There will be a silver lining. There always is :)

Expand full comment
Michaele Rosen's avatar

🙏 Moved by so many of your shared thoughts here, as I always am….

“It was such a relief to be in the shared warmth of those who remember what it is to be human.”

“ It is only the dance between you and I that brings any of this alive. I cannot dance alone”

“ Ah, this gorgeous life”

Something a friend said to me when I shared my despair over the political insanity going on:

“ May I never harden to match their cruelty.

May I never grow silent when kindness needs a voice.

And my heart be a sanctuary -

not just for me, but for those around me

who need to remember that goodness is still alive.”

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

Your friend has some beautiful thoughts there Micheale. Thank you for sharing. If we don't have such heartfelt sanctuary there'll be no place to return to when we once more find our way in these dark times.

🙏🏽

Expand full comment
The Sea in Me    (Síodhna)'s avatar

And now for something completely different. ⚡

Love it Jonathan. It must be the Ahhhh of this gorgeous life.

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

And now for something completely different - that really made ma laugh :) Thanks S 🙏🏽

Expand full comment
Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Wow, "into this gorgeous life" the title alone is rapturous Jonathan and yet hidden between the lines in your wondrous way of tangling words with reality, something powerful and fearful. It seems we are doomed to live ride waves of euphoria alongside the crashing horror of understanding and realisation. It is a dance we must all learn, together will likeminded souls is possible, alone we are doomed.

Always happy to dance with you, never stop my friend! 🙏🏼

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

It's a crazy dance all right, but as you say, when you find those who can boogie it makes the whole thing better, even if we are riding a stampeding buffalo :)

Thanks for being such a smart reader, Susie. You don't know how much I appreciate that.

Expand full comment
Fotini Masika's avatar

Let those fucking songbirds have at it, Jonathan.

What a dance 🖤

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

Thanks Fotini, (have at it! - dude are you a native speaker or what?!? Brilliant).

Expand full comment
Fotini Masika's avatar

:)

Expand full comment
Holly Starley's avatar

“It’s strange to be naked

in a cacophony of hooves

riding a stampeding buffalo

gripping its chestnut mane

and glistening in the sun

while song birds

sing sweet nothings”

So damn apt. so damn gorgeous.

Thank the stars for those fucking songbirds.

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

Yep, those fucking song birds are a fucking treat :)

🙏🏽

Expand full comment
Kimberly Warner's avatar

DO NOT ABANDON THESE BY THE ROADSIDE! What a gift to bear witness to your ecstatic song. Thank you.

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

I driving back picking them all up one by one. Probably need a bigger car :)

Thanks K 🙏🏽

Expand full comment
Veronika Bond's avatar

Riding a stampeding buffalo through this gorgeous life, with songbirds flying out of your mouth, singing magnificent songs, of gorgeous things...

Powerful images find their way from your closed mouth in prose and lyrics on the flapping wings of songbirds while gripping a chestnut mane...

What a writing life! Gorgeous as the sweet songs of birds, despite the chaos and cacophony of hooves.

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

It is a wonderful scene playing on my head so I'm glad it's now playing in yours too :)

Racing through the wind ion a buffalo, ride on Veronika :)

Expand full comment
Lor's avatar
May 2Edited

Sometimes you just have to let it all out. Ever rising, there is nothing stopping it.

Freedom “…to be human”.

Your riot of song birds, amidst the Buffalo. In America , on this particular May 1st, a call to light the beacon fires across the mountain tops; Mayday Mayday!

We cry out , in the language of the official distress call. Help us.

Yes, you may have this dance, on top of the mountain ,torch in one hand .

Thank you for your beautiful poem. Words that touch a nerve while letting the sparks fly . And I will be happy to dance with you any time.

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

I see those fires burning Lor, I feel the distress in that call. My heart goes to you. There is so much pain in this Age Of Stupidity for sure. The balance is lost and we are fast sliding toward a tipping point where these bully boys and girls think they've cleared the playground of every kindness.

Thanks for the dance. You've always got such fine moves :)

Expand full comment
Joshua Bond's avatar

"into this gorgeous life" -- I'll remember that next time the lights go out in Portugal, or as of now like when the the water system fails on our quinta (as is currently the case, and with visitors just arrived ...)

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

Oh yes, that gorgeous unpredictability :)

Expand full comment
Sue Sklar's avatar

So powerful and joyous thank you

Expand full comment
Jonathan Foster's avatar

Thank you Sue :)

Expand full comment