~
March 2023
HP Poet: Thomas W. Case
Age: 53
Country: USA

Question 1: We are very happy to have you participate, Thomas. So how long have you been writing poetry, and how long have you been a member of Hello Poetry?

Thomas W. Case: “I've been writing poetry since I was 16, and I've been a member of hello poetry for 3 years.”


Question 2: What inspires you? (In other words, how does poetry happen for you).

Thomas W. Case: “The things that inspire me to write are life: the good, the bad, the ugly. Emotion inspires me to write. Poems come to me in many different ways. Sometimes in pictures, sometimes a word will pop into my head and I will write around it. And sometimes a situation in my life will transpire and I will write to process it.”


Question 3: What does poetry mean to you?

Thomas W. Case: “Poetry is cathartic for me. It's a lifesaver, it gives me a unique perspective on the world, it helps me to make sense of life. Poetry is my highway through the madness.”


Question 4: Who are your favorite poets?

Thomas W. Case: “Charles Bukowski, Pablo Neruda, Dylan Thomas, and W.B. Yeats.”


Question 5: What other interests do you have?

Thomas W. Case: “Writing short stories, reading, and spending time with my kids.”


Mr. Timetable: “Thank you so much, Thomas! We really appreciate your willingness to be the first one to be spotlighted.”

Thomas W. Case: “Thank you, man. I look forward to seeing the post and how it turns out.”



And thank you everyone here at HP for taking the time to read this. We hope you enjoyed getting to know Thomas a little bit better.
– Carlo C. Gomez (aka Mr. Timetable)

We will post Spotlight #2 in April!
~

Holi
It is an emotion
Sung upon the winds
Youthful songs of spring

Vivacious emeralds
Colours of the shade, Jade
Fields of verdant green

Mother earth bestows
Upon us her finest hues
Let’s embrace in gratitude

Reverently we circumambulate
The Holika, seeking felicity
Quelling the evil and granting peace

Imbued with the crimson
Under the blue skies of eternity
May the festival bring mirth
And lasting harmony

𓆩⟡𓆪
Swathed in my caution
I search to find my daring
Fire cracks my egg
𓆩⟡𓆪
I've been long since lost
Colours of the creative
Dulled by daily trudge
𓆩⟡𓆪
I hear the wind call
Fearing the might of my wings
Fall before I fly
𓆩⟡𓆪

I love God, but I know fruits do not increase rapidly.
Growth takes decades.
God's love tugs at my center to become;
a lifelong progressive journey of changing towards glory, light with no shades.
The acceptance within grace is often overlooked and belittled in this vague sense of tolerance.
Like Sheryl Ralph and Jennifer Lewis said, look into the mirror and speak love over your whole body.
You are to love what's challenging to approach within the self.
See- observe- with the same soft gaze you give to children and elders.        
Celebrate what you can do.
Celebrate what you can't.
Growth within decades.
I love God, and I know fruit does not increase when rushed.

This year
Im going to get angry
To the point of
Silence.

This year
Im going to
Punish
My mind
My body
To get the results.

This year
Will be when
I
Give myself the opportunities
I deserve.

This year
I am going to
Disappear.

Because
This year
Is THE year.

The year
Where I.
Am.
The.
Best.

Nitong nakaraan, naging nostalgic ako sa mga new year na nagdaan, mga new year nung bata kami, and sa new year na dadating pa.

Oo sobrang saya ngayon, hindi rin naman mapapantayan ang saya! Pero alam ko na iba na siya. Ibang-iba na siya―kasi noon, kumpleto pa kami at wala pang nawawala samin. Kumpleto pa ang mga lolo at lola namin. May mga fireworks display, sinturon ni hudas mula sa kanto hanggang kabilang kanto. Isinasampay pa ung sinturon ni hudas sa katawan namin tapos magppicture kami, may trumpilyo, luces tapos isusulat ang pangalan sa daan, maging yung ray-gun na paputok meron din. May mga pagkain pang nakalagay sa la mesa dahil naghahanda ang mga lola. May ham, tinapay, hot choco, at kung ano-ano pa na pati mga kapitbahay namin doon din kumakain salo-salo ang lahat! Meron din sayawan sa kalsada mga 90's na tugtugan "don't cry" sa gitna ng kalsada.

Habang sinasalubong ang taon, we played this game na "thankful for 2022, and looking forward in 2023" with cousins and titos and titas while drinking wine and alcohol til we drop. Ang saya mapakinggan yung mga bagay na pinagpapasalamat nila at mga bagay na nilo-look forward nila lalo yung mga things they share about our family. It means so much na pare-parehas kami na support sa isa't-isa at ramdam yung pagmamahal sa bawat isa.

Sabi ng isa kong tita, darating daw yung time na baka maiba na dahil siyempre magkakapamilya, career, ibang paths to take, na baka yung iba di na mag new year sa Clemente. Pero sabi niya sila ay nandiyan pa din dahil yun ang gusto nila. Oo alam ko pwedeng mangyari dahil na-experience ko na sa mga kaibigan ko. Dati palagi kaming magkakasama tuwing new year at pasko. Mahal namin ang isa't-isa na kung pwede nga lang palagi kaming magkakasama. Pero siyempre iba-iba kami ng mundong ginagalawan at tinatahak, may lumipat ng bahay, may mga pamilya na din kaya bihira na lang din kami magkasama sama. Nakakamiss!

Hindi ko alam ang future, pero sana lahat kami nandito pa din magkakasama, isang buong pamilya na magkakasamang haharap sa panibagong taon habang nabubuhay kaming lahat!

Masaya ako na na-experience ko ang pasko at new year sa Tondo! Marami akong ipinagpapasalamat hindi lang sa 2022, kundi magmula 1992! Alam ng puso ko kung ano yung mga bagay na yun hindi ko maisa-isa, basta alam ko masaya lahat at grateful ako sa family na ibinigay sa akin ni Lord. Hindi man kami mayaman, madami man kaming pagkakaiba-iba, pero solid mahal namin ang isa't-isa. Looking forward to 2023 and more! **

Old moon bids adieu,
World enjoys its departure...
The new sun arrives..!