Poetry For Now
Truthful, humorous and insightful poetry to uplift and brighten your day. Hosted and written by Martin Strasmore. The resounding gongs, played by Kassandra Strasmore, offer an experience of peace and tranquility. Good poetry can open up the mind and heart to new ways of seeing the world, accepting difficulties and embracing opportunities for transformation. Each episode is intended to support and uplift the world and to renew our respect for each other and nature.
Episodes
81 episodes
FORGOTTEN TEXAS
In March 2024 I travelled to New Braunfels, Texas and spent days playing tennis and a night in Gruene Hall. A friendly bar and music venue. As usual with my camera in hand, I found people willing and open to share themselves. ...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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7:54
My Dolomites Adventure
After 3 days in Venice I take a bus up into the Dolomite Mountains to my starting point, Cortina. 6 days walking from town to town, across the most unusual and dramatic landscapes shaped both by glacial erosion and volcanic activity. ...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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14:21
SACRED SPACE
AT THE END OF 2023 we spent 2 months in India and some of these poems reflect my experience in the Siddha Yoga Ashram in Ganeshpuri where we participated in a retreat called Pilgrimage to the Heart and then stayed and offered service. Sa...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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9:39
SEDONA’S RED ROCKS - WARS & MORE
As I waited for inspiration the world changed - the war between Israel & Hamas - the power battle between extremes in the GOP - The performance we attended of “Considering Matthew Shepard”, a poignant and brilliant reminder of the co-...
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Season 3
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Episode 15
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8:00
RAFTING DOWN THE COLORADO RIVER - PART 2
This episode continues my photographic trip down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon. These poems describe the "total experience" of life on the river; ending with our last supper!
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Season 3
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Episode 14
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9:29
RAFTING DOWN THE COLORADO RIVER Part 1
Season 3 Episode 13 Colorado river poemsfor 7 nights & 8 days in the heat of Late August & early September 2023 I went rafting down the Colorado River through the rapids of the Grand Canyon, taking a landscape photo w...
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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9:58
POEMS & PATTERNS
These poems are from my first photography & poetry book published on Blurb.com in 2011. They are a reflection of my concern about the environment (before Al Gore's Book "The Inconvenient Truth"). They follow the 5 Elements of Ea...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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10:25
AUGUST MUSINGS
We are lucky to live with a nature preserve on our doorstep, and the Naples Botanical Garden a bike ride away. We also had a family week in the Outer Banks. All these places inspired these poems. I was also motivated by a Mast...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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9:12
OUR ASIAN JOURNEY Part 2
In Part 1 you heard about Thailand and Laos. Part 2 is highlights of our experiences in Cambodia and Vietnam - of course all in "verse"! Living in London, England, I was unaware of the reality of the Vietnam war or later the Khmer ...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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8:52
OUR ASIAN JOURNEY - Part 1
In April and May we traveled in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam. 3 1/2 weeks is really just enough time to get a taste for the major cities, countryside and cultures. So rather than get into the detailed day to day activities...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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8:52
A WANDERING WEEK IN FLORIDA #2
During the second half of my State Parks trip I walked on long trails, kayaked and swam in refreshing natural springs, and learned about Florida’s enormous underground rivers and springs that feed into its aquifer systems. I hope my words paint...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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10:59
A WANDERING WEEK IN FLORIDA #1
If one focuses on Florida’s landscapes, birds and wildlife, ignoring peoples’ politics and outlooks, it has much to offer the walking poet. In less than a week walking and kayaking, exploring in 9 state parks and conservation areas, searc...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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9:26
ANNIVERSARIES
We just passed the one year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This made me think about anniversaries and gratitude and the good, the bad, the power of celebrations and memories.Anniversaries are a date, from which we...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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8:20
WELCOME 2023!
Happy New Year - A new year brings new opportunities. A resolution I have made is that each day I will write at least one poem and take and select at least one new photograph. I am also going to experiment with different poet...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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10:28
GOODBYE 2022!
Goodbye 202210 years ago Queen Elizabeth 2nd named 2012 Annus Horriblus - well in some ways that could be said of 2022 with a war and a continuing pandemic….However the 8th day of Chanukah and Christmas Day 2022 met in ...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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9:30
GREECE TO IRELAND
These poems reflect some of my experiences as we moved on from Greece to Ireland.One of the many conversations we had in Ireland, on the streets of Dingle, was with Arthur Broomfield, the poet, and I start with a poem inspired by his boo...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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9:21
A GREEK ODYSSEY
My grandmother was born when travel was by horse and carriage and lived to experience jet planes. I never ceased to be amazed by the easeful transformation of time and space experienced through air plane travel. This podcast s...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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9:35
AFTER THE HURRICANE
We have been traveling in Europe for 6 weeks, arriving back in the US September 28th just as Hurricane Ian hit our home town of Naples. Finally finding a way back 4 days after it hit we gratefully found our home and community which is 4 m...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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7:54
EVOLUTION
Living in South West Fl these last 7 years have given a me new perspective of nature and its wonders. These reflect some of these experiences.
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Season 2
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Episode 27
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7:12
LIVING OUR CHOICES
These poems came as I reflected on the choices I make every day: How I spend my time, what I read and listen to, and consequently what I think about.A theme is that it is easy to get caught in a virtual world of electrons - but Nature is al...
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Season 2
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Episode 26
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6:35
WALLS
Relationships only truly succeed when we breakthrough the barriers, the walls that divide and separate us. Some of these poems are inspired by Robert Frost's line "Who doesn't love a wall!". Two poems are inspired by those first un...
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Season 2
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Episode 25
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8:25
JUNE MUSINGS
June is going by so fast. We spent 2 weeks away from home as wars, school shootings and inflation flashed across the media. Thankfully being in Nature always refreshes me and gives one hope.The poems are about my experiences in ...
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Season 2
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Episode 24
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7:59
A LONG TIME AGO
As a younger adventurous traveller I had many experiences and lessons to learn. These poems reflect some of those, and they are not at all in chronological order.The summer of 72, part 1 takes place in Colombia B...
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Season 2
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Episode 23
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9:14