The Poet (delayed)

In this episode of The Poet (delayed), I read my allegory “The Raft,” which explores what it means to face fear and step beyond the limitations that keep us small. It is about becoming whole again—learning to sit with our younger selves, heal old wounds, and expand into who we truly are. This one's about transformation, courage, and the quiet power of growth. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg

In Episode 61 of The Poet (delayed), I sit down with my friend Howard Burkholz for a fun and thoughtful chat all about travel. Howard shares what he loves about hitting the road — from local getaways to international adventures — and how those experiences have brought him joy, taught him new perspectives, and helped shape the way he sees the world. We also talk about how photography has been a huge part of his travels, helping him slow down and capture the moments that matter. Whether you've got a trip planned or you're just daydreaming, join us for a fun conversation. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My books of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, The Ghost of a Beating Heart and Haiku Village are availabe for purchase at Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Howard Burkholz.

In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with Ali Talbot to explore the healing power of creativity and the importance of sharing our creative work with others. We talk about how the art we make to heal ourselves can also resonate with and support those around us—reminding us that creation is not only personal but deeply communal. We also introduce Torchlight, a new monthly program we've launched to bring people together through art, music, and poetry. Each month, we invite local artists, musicians, and writers to share their work, with occasional open mic nights to encourage participation from the community. It's all about connection, creativity, and creating space for shared expression. Tune in for a conversation about why what we make matters—and how it can light the way for others. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Ali Talbot.

In this episode, I'm joined again by my friend Tim Robison as we read and reflect on the poem “To Satch” by Samuel Washington Allen. What follows is an honest, free-flowing conversation about living with intention, making your own decisions, and figuring out what really matters. We touch on work-life balance, the search for joy, and doing the things you love — even when it's hard. We also wrestle with questions around success and failure: What does it mean to lose? What does it mean to win? Is one better than the other? And who gets to decide? This episode is about choosing a meaningful life — and the courage it takes to do so. To Satch Sometimes I feel like I will never stop Just go on forever Till one fine mornin I'm gonna reach up and grab me a handfulla stars Swing out my long lean leg And whip three hot strikes burnin down the heavens And look over a God and say How about that!!!! I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Tim Robison.

This episode of The Poet (delayed) is raw, real, and completely impromptu. No scripts, no pretense—just an honest conversation with four 20/21 years olds (Ian Edgar, Ryan Murphy, Conner Evans and Max Jones) and me about what makes us human. We all carry wounds, scars, and shadows, and instead of hiding them, what if we embraced them? What if our imperfections and life experiences are actually what make us wonderful, relatable, and deeply connected to one another? Join us as we explore how self-acceptance leads to true happiness and how recognizing our own freedom—freedom to choose, to grow, to be—can transform the way we move through the world. This is a conversation about finding beauty in our brokenness and power in our choices. MOAB This land, wounded and scarred and full of shadows, She turns his head to Her To see and he sees Her stillness and Her beauty And he understands What can be. ThePoetDelayed #EmbraceYourScars #FindYourFreedom I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guests: Conner Evans, Ian Edgar, Max Jones, and Ryan Murphy.

On this episode of The Poet (delayed), I sit down with my friend Jen Adams, a children's book author, to talk about her newest project—a board book adaptation of The Great Gatsby, coming out on March 11th. We discuss the classic novel itself, how our understanding of literature shifts over time, and the powerful role books play in shaping our lives. It's a conversation about storytelling, nostalgia, and the lasting impact of great literature. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Jennifer Adams.

New Episode: The Power of Friendship In this episode, I read On Friendship by Khalil Gibran and sit down with my friend Sarah Daniels for a heartfelt conversation about what it truly means to be a friend. We explore the importance of boundaries in friendships, the value of being our own best friend, and how cultivating a strong relationship with ourselves allows us to build deeper, more meaningful connections with others. Friendship is not just about companionship—it's about growth, healing, and becoming the best versions of ourselves. Listen in as we share insights, stories, and reflections on the role of friendship in our lives. And a youth said, Speak to us of Friendship. And he answered, saying: Your friend is your needs answered. He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving. And he is your board and your fireside. For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace     When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the “nay” in your own mind, nor do you withhold the “ay.” And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart; For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed. When you part from your friend, you grieve not; For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain. And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit. For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.     And let your best be for your friend. If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also. For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill? Seek him always with hours to live. For it is his to fill your need but not your emptiness. And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Sarah Daniels.

In this episode, Elise Lechtenberg and I dive into the fascinating world of foot zoning—exploring its origins, the benefits of integrating it with Western medicine, and the powerful experiences we've both had with this practice. We also discuss the resurgence of energy work and how it's helping people find balance and healing in new ways. Tune in for an insightful conversation on the impact of foot zoning and holistic wellness! I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Elise Lechtenberg.

In this episode, I sit down with music video and documentary director Danny Drysdale. We talk about his journey in filmmaking, including his work with The Killers and directing multiple music videos for them, and how he's continued to push forward in an unpredictable industry. We discuss what it takes to achieve goals, the uncertainty that comes with creative work, and the importance of moving forward even when we don't have all the answers. The Mulligrubs https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/fSFrtoc1.jpeg The Mulligrubs 2 https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/7L8V_4dG.jpeg I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Danny Drysdale.

Harbors A friend is a harbor, calm In whom is found A healing balm And asks for nothing in return Save this: That if the tide should turn There I'd be, ever true, That he with me Might harbor too. I was joined in this episode by Allison Spencer and Rachel Waters. Both of whom were my friends in the fifth and sixth grade at Hannah Holbrook Elementary school in Bountiful Utah. Allison was on the podcast almost exactly 2 years ago and we had a great conversation about her diagnosis and fight against Hodgkins lymphoma cancer. The other part of that story is that less than two months after Allison was diagnosed, Rachel's daughter Haley was diagnosed with the same type of cancer. In this episode, we talked about among other things what it was like to have each other to lean on and the value of friends and community in our lives, especially in dark and difficult moments. friendship #community #resolute #thenow #fear #anger #hodgkinslymphoma I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My books of poetry are availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guests: Allison Spencer and Rachel Waters.

SHARING MY SKY If you ever have some time Stop by for a bit. I've got a beautiful sky And no one to share it with. It's really nothing much, Just a moon and some friendly stars, But what is mine, I'll make ours. So, if you've got some time, Just stop by The gate is always open And I've saved you a spot Right next to me On the soft and welcoming grass. We'll have a breath of cool fresh air And sit and share My sky together. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Mike Sessions.

Last episode, I discussed a passage from The Old Man and the Sea. This week I'm joined again by Josh Baron as we discuss the book itself. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Josh Baron.

In this episode, I read an excerpt from Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea: “He settled comfortably against the wood and took his suffering as it came and the fish swam steadily and the boat moved slowly through the dark water.” Then I shared some thoughts and asked some questions about suffering and how it shows up in our lives and what we do with it. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg

In episode 49, was joined by my friends Josh Baron and Tim Robison. We discussed the play “A Man for All Seasons” which deals with Thomas More's dilemma related to King Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon and everything that that entailed. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guests: Josh Baron and Tim Robison.

I was joined by Cal Crosby, owner of the King's English Bookshop in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as Brain Food Books, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to putting books in the hands of those without regular access. We also discussed what it's like to run a local independent bookshop and the roll it, as well as all locally owned businesses, play in the community. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Cal Crosby.

Injustice I'll speak of Injustice: She had the strength to harm him. To strike the blow, to score the wound But not to bind it up. She cannot heal him. She has no salve strong enough. I was joined by my friend, Melissa Fairbourn Peterson. We talked about the wounds we all suffer from one another whether intentionally or not and that those who inflict those wounds cannot heal us - only we can heal our wounds. We discussed the importance of apologies in the healing process. The dangers in demanding an apology. How recognizing our complicity in our wounds helps us heal, and so much more. We read from Les Miserables and from The Gulag Archipelago. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Melissa Peterson.

I was joined by Lindsey McDermott this week and we listened to “Walk Unafraid” by First Aid Kit and discussed belonging to yourself and not abandoning yourself to fit in. We also talked about joy and sorrow and happiness and suffering and how they have presented in our lives and ways that we have engaged with them. Click here to listen to Walk Unafraid by First Aid Kit (https://open.spotify.com/track/5avoYLYi2gYnCTm7wQQWTw?si=MImaaiSDT06I3of1WJeaRw) I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Lindsey McDermott.

I'm joined by my good friend Pat. We read and discussed The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski. We talked about what it means to us to be clubbed into dank submission. How does that come about? How do we overcome it? Why is it important to overcome it? Tune in on August 20th! The Laughing Heart By Charles Bukowski your life is your life don't let it be clubbed into dank submission. be on the watch. there are ways out. there is a light somewhere. it may not be much light but it beats the darkness. be on the watch. the gods will offer you chances. know them. take them. you can't beat death but you can beat death in life, sometimes. and the more often you learn to do it, the more light there will be. your life is your life. know it while you have it. you are marvelous the gods wait to delight in you. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Patrick.

Spotify link to Josh's song, Sinking (https://open.spotify.com/track/14P79HjkSCMLefenAnXIPF?si=t61-a58qSeinhAHws90xpg&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A7wn6wgIWIb2HlswCmzxzmM) I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Josh Baron.

MOTHERLESS PIETA Behind the curtain The cottonmouths speak Sending their words through the air: Sacrifice and self-laceration (bloodless) Lift the hands that hang down And succor and suffer - Then heaven waits. He listens with prejudice and certainty But his hands hang lowest Of all the hanging hands. “My hands will be lifted,” he says, “as I lift others. So move on – let me be. I have work to do.” And his low hands Raise stones to his Single-eyed altar. Then he lays himself down – Body draped over the altar stones (a Motherless Pieta) Self-sacrificed, savior to none But heaven waits, they say. In this episode, I'm joined again by Josh Baron as we discuss my poem, Motherless Pieta, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, obedience, self abandonment and more. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Josh Baron.

The Poet (delayed) Ep. 42: In My Marrow Available: August 1, 2024 In My Marrow I am drenched in freedom - Soaked to the bone. - Even more, it's in my marrow. I brought it from the womb And will take it to the dust. Place chains on my wrists, yet I am free; Make my walls into iron bars, yet I am free For my mind is unchainable and My heart uncageable. Abdication is my only threat. I'm Socrates free I'm William Wallace free. I'm Solomon Northrup free. I'm Viktor Frankl free. I am Human; I am Free - It's in my marrow. In this episode, I read my poem, “In My Marrow,” and discussed the principle of belonging to ourselves and the importance of knowing who we are what are values are. In doing so, I drew upon the wisdom of Maya Angelou, Brene Brown, Solzhenitsyn, Nietzsche and Jung.I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg

In this episode, I was joined again by Jennifer Adams. We discussed her newest addition to her Babylit book series, The Iliad. We also discussed other projects that she is working on and the power of literature. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Jennifer Adams.

In this episode, I was joined by Zach Wheatley. He is a friend, the son of a friend and the nephew of a friend…all at the same time. Zach just started his M.Ed program in school counseling at Utah Valley University. He also coaches football and lacrosse at Viewmont High School in Bountiful, Utah. And on top of all of that, he works as a Teen Center Coordinator in the newly established Teen Center Program at Viewmont High School which provides him an opportunity to support students who are lacking basic needs. On it's website, www.daviseducationfoundation.org, the Teen Center Program is described as a supportive facility within a high school that provides resources and assistance to help students overcome barriers to learning. Teen Centers offer a space where students can access basic necessities, academic support and guidance, that help them thrive in both their academic and personal lives. Zach and I discussed his work at the Teen Center in light of a couple of my poems, “Dark Canopy” and “Moab”: DARK CANOPY Hopelessness covers me: Like a forest canopy On a moonless night It covers me. I see no way or path To deliver myself. And the darkness: It fills my eyes. And they are unable to see The torchlight Of rescuers who may approach. All is black and dead. Every gleam is only a phantom. And the only variations in light Are darker shadows Waiting to finish me off For good. MOAB This land, wounded and scarred and full of shadows, She turns his face to Her To see and he sees Her stillness and Her beauty And he understands What can be. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Zach Wheatley.

My brother, Wil Edgar is a Reiki Master, and joined me to talk about the five precepts of Reiki. Just for today, do not worry Just for today, do not anger Honor your parents, teachers, and elders Earn your living honestly Show gratitude to every living thing I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Wil Edgar.

Lisa Cox joined me and she read her poem titled “Shattered” A love note for myself: Darling, After I have shattered, only I choose which pieces are worth saving. Then, I rise. Then, through the lens of our personal experiences, we discussed what it means to shatter and how it can be the catalyst to positive transformations in our lives. We discussed why we shatter; What shattering can look like; What happens after we shatter; What we can do with the shattered pieces of us and other “shatter” related issues, including how a kaleidoscope factors into the process. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Lisa Cox.

I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. Last July, I went to The Beach Boys' concert at Deer Valley in Park City, Utah. Near the end of the concert, they played Don't Worry Baby. I had heard the song before and always liked it, but I had never really listened to it. As I sat in the grass and Mike Love belted the song out, I heard it for the first time and it took on a whole new meaning. What seemed like silly lyrics that were there only because the amazing harmonies needed some lyrics became much deeper to me. I realized that in 2 minutes and 51 seconds, Brian Wilson conveyed a powerful story about vulnerability, love and safety. I left the next morning on a solo trip to Canyonlands National Park and ended up listening to Don't Worry Baby on repeat for 3 days. I still listen to it on repeat regularly. Neither the music or the meaning ever gets old. In this episode, I use this song to discuss my observations and experiences related to vulnerability, love and safety in relationships, all types of relationships, and how that the lack of those three things contribute to an unfulfilled life. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg

My heart fails at times And longs for deep, endless sleep In dreams I escape Courage is found in failure So, breath and open your eyes I sat down with Jackie Pack and we discussed courage including what it means and how we recognize it. We also discussed Brene Brown's statement: "I don't think we can get to courage without the capacity to deal with uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure." I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Jackie Pack, LCSW, CSAT-S, CMAT.

Angie is a mother, a photographer, an entrepreneur, a bringer-together of women for healing and a travel addict. She and I sat down and talked about the power of community in healing - especially a community of women for women. We talked about how she started the annual women's retreats. And we talked about so, so much more. She's a remarkable woman doing remarkable things amongst other remarkable women. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Angie Monson.

I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Gary and Jodi Maricich.

I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: SAW.

I met Stephen in high school in Collinsville, IL in 1988. I moved away after my junior year in 1991 and we have bumped into each other only a few times since, but before I moved away we had some grand times. In part 1, we talked about the grandest time we had together when we took a road trip to the east coast as two 17 year old boys (one with a horrible haircut) armed with fake IDs, a bag of audio cassettes, a rough idea of what we were going to do and…well, that was about it. If you liked the movie The Hangover, be sure to listen to this! (this may or may not be an oversell) You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll turn your head and gag. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: SAW.

make peace with all the women you once were. lay flowers at their feet. offer them incense and honey and forgiveness. honor them and give them your silence. listen. bless them and let them be. for they are the bones of the temple you sit in now. for they are the rivers of wisdom leading you toward the sea. // i have been a thousand different women by Emory Hall I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Wendi Shavon.

Quote from Neil Gaiman's, Ocean at the End of the Lane: "And did I pass?" The face of the old woman on my right was unreadable in the gathering dusk. On my left the younger woman said, "You don't pass or fail at being a person dear.” I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Rachel Allen, LCSW, CSAT.

This Be The Verse BY PHILIP LARKIN They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do. They fill you with the faults they had And add some extra, just for you. But they were fucked up in their turn By fools in old-style hats and coats, Who half the time were soppy-stern And half at one another's throats. Man hands on misery to man. It deepens like a coastal shelf. Get out as early as you can, And don't have any kids yourself. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Tyler Mathis.

I'd love to hear any thoughts about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. WILD GEESE by Mary Oliver You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on. Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers. Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting — over and over announcing your place in the family of things. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Josh Baron.

We can't do it all alone. Sometimes, we need to reach out for help and that's not always easy. In fact, in my experience, it's rarely easy. In this episode, I discuss three obstacles that get in my way of asking for help. The Capacity of Your Tears How many mornings Are filled with desperate tears That never sound In another's ears because You feel they are Hopeless And only serve to ease Your pain for the coming day: So why worry others when The tears will come again Regardless? But how many mornings Before your pain exceeds The capacity of your tears? I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg

Yes, You will rise from the ashes, But the burning comes first. For this part, Darling, You must be brave. by Kalen Dion (https://www.kalendionpoetry.com/) I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg

TERRIBLE POTENTIAL I see it now For years I only sensed it Or saw the dissipating dust tails of its approach But it filled me with terror And there was no cover or protection So I ran As fast as my child stride could take me Not even knowing what it was – Only that it was coming But that made the fear so much more In my little mind So I ran harder Until I forgot why I was running – Only knowing that I couldn't stop But I see it now Its shape is fluid and undefined And its terrible potential fills my mind I want to keep running – retreating But it won't stop and It's closing the gap and It's more terrible than I ever thought But its real – I see it now And I know There's no escape, there never was. But I want to keep running anyway Until it overtakes me I won't see it coming; it will just happen and be done But my insufficient legs refuse to carry me anymore So I prostrate myself as an offering I know you're coming, I whisper, And I offer myself willingly This is not defeat, I reassure myself Then lower my eyes And brace for its fury But my mind keeps moving – defiantly It knows truths that my body forgot And reminds me: You were born with claws And they're with you still – And I remember and feel them They are deep, but I feel them and they are there So, I raise my body from the dirt and My eyes to the distance It is closer now – the gap disappearing But not my fear. My fear is growing (broadcast loudly by my beating heart) But I no longer want to run Nor offer myself willingly Instead, I watch it come and I wait – in fear, true But I wait to receive it And I steady myself. I have claws and I feel them And I will meet it face to face I have terrible potential too I feel it now. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg

My daughter Ruby and I were the only ones home, so I decided to record an episode of The Poet (delayed) with her. We talked about her track and field season that just finished up, softball, boys, poetry, music, flying fish and boys. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Ruby Edgar.

My friend and poet, Kelli Stephens joined me and she read her unnamed poem from which I grabbed the title of this episode, “…the catching of my whole heart.” We discussed healing, religion, leaving religion, finding yourself and finding peace in your sovereignty and much, much more. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Cover Image from Unsplash.com by Mohamed Nohassi (Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

I was joined by neuropsychologist Ben Christiansen in episode 22 of The Poet (delayed). We read my haiku, Meaningful Life and discussed what a meaningful life consists of and how we can work towards one. Hint: it involves math…well, equations at least. Meaningful Life Having fame and wealth Brings no true, lasting meaning Such is found within Concussion Baseline (https://www.concussion-baseline.com/) I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Ben Christiansen.

In the summer of 1991, I nearly drown at Deer Creek Reservoir near Heber City, Utah. My poem, Comprehend Yourself, is a summary of that event, and in this episode of The Poet (delayed), Mechelle Wingle and I discuss that poem and its meaning and meanings. COMPREHEND YOURSELF I know, As I floated above a watery grave - alone and exhausted, With no one aware and No strength to deliver myself That despite your worlds without number With their countless inhabitants, You knew And delivered me. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Cover Photo/header by Photo of the boy in the water by Noah Buscher on Unsplash Special Guest: Mechelle Wingle.

THEY WERE BEACONS ONCE They are out there. You know them by their void, Their masks of nothingness. But they are something and voracious – Consuming, in large amounts, Everything Completely Their prey rage in vain Then submit in silence; No distress signals sent – Even sound is consumed (and light) In their dark bellies. But they were beacons once And they shined. Addiction can be so consuming that it turns shining people into metaphorical black holes. It has the power, with drugs and alcohol, at least, to destroy people so completely that we eventually "know them by their void,/their masks of nothingness (https://youtu.be/cFiJOgB56vk)." Thoreau wrote: “There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.” This profound statement has its application in the struggle with addiction. In order to effectively take one's life back, it is important to understand what addiction is and what it's primary causes are so that we can strike at its root rather than just hacking at its branches. Hungarian-Canadian physician, Gabor Maté defined addiction as follows (https://youtu.be/BVg2bfqblGI): "Any behavior that a person finds relief in and therefore craves in the short-term, but suffers negative consequences in the long-term and doesn't give up despite the negative consequences." Importantly, Dr. Maté also explains that addiction is not a moral failure or an indication of weakness. “Addiction is not the primary problem. It's an attempt to solve a problem.” In this episode of The Poet (delayed), I'm joined by Las Vegas based therapist, Brad Singletary (https://bradsingletary.com) as we read my poem, "They Were Beacons Once," and have a discussion about addiction, its cause and recovery. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Brad Singletary, LCSW.

It's safe to assume that we all suffer from bouts of depression at times. As Neil Diamond sang: Song sung blue Everybody knows one Song sung blue Every garden grows one. Me and you are subject to The blues now and then "Song Sung Blue," Neil Diamond And, while more often than not, most of us have been able to take Neil's advice to “take the blues and make a song [and] sing them out again,” whether metaphorically or literally, some of us have suffered or are suffering through depression so deep and encompassing that song is unable to penetrate and the desire to even sing a song is, at best, like a drop of water on a hot skillet, and, at worst, a stomach turning, repulsive thought, and that is a scary and dangerous place to be. In those times, it's especially vital that we are able to notice the signs in ourselves and others and then reach out for help or reach out to help, respectively. Because, in those times, we can lose the ability to lift ourselves up. We lose the ability to put a smile on our face. We lose the ability to have an attitude of gratitude. And so, we need to be lifted up, and we need to lift up. In the words of Townes Van Zandt: If I needed you Would you come to me? Would you come to me? And ease my pain? If you needed me I would come to you I would swim the seas For to ease you pain If I Needed You, Townes Van Zandt In this episode, Jackie Pack and I discuss depression, situational and clinical (major depressive disorder) including what differentiates them. We discuss ways that we can help ourselves and each other as we pass through those days, weeks, months or years when we feel hopelessness covering us. "He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother" by Neil Diamond (https://youtu.be/usZtSl8mX08) "If I Needed You" by Townes Van Zandt (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jZMGZ0fG3E) Dark Canopy Hopelessness covers me: Like a forest canopy On a moonless night It covers me. I see no way or path To deliver myself. And the darkness: It fills my eyes. And they are unable to see The torchlight Of rescuers who may approach. All is black and dead. Every gleam is only a phantom. And the only variations in light Are darker shadows Waiting to finish me off For good. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is availabe for purchase at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guest: Jackie Pack, LCSW, CSAT-S, CMAT.

I've come to believe that those works of literature and poetry that have stood the test of time have more to offer those seeking a meaningful life than all the self help books in the world. They have the ability to bypass the protective walls that so many of us build around our gentle, scared and vulnerable hearts - those walls that stand firm and umoveable in the face of seeming frontal assaults by the well meaning self help books (which, tellingly, often reference those works to make their point). This is so, it seems, because they speak to us through stories and myths that set themselves in our hearts and minds - ready for recall when we are ready to learn, much like Christ's reason for teaching in parables: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Also, I believe that the reason these great works of literature and poetry persist is because they were inspired by and deal with the human condition - the basics of which remain constant as evidenced by the fact that the adventures of Odysseus still permeate our culture, whether in print, on stage or on film ("O, Brother Where are Thou?" - classic) more than 2,500 years after Homer handed them down. "The Odyssey" and "The Illiad" persist because the same passions that ran through the veins of Homer run through ours and, more importantly, he, like the great writers throughout history, had the gift to genuinely infuse that passion into his stories and characters. ("East of Eden" in my hands or probably in most hands, for instance, wouldn't have even found a publisher, but in Steinbeck's hands, we were given as powerful a story/lesson as I've ever read.) So, we feel their pain with defeat and their joy with victory. We relate when they stumble and fall from grace, and as a result, we don't feel so alone in our brokenness. The same can be said for the enduring stories, poems and mythologies of all cultures: they endure because they resonate with our humanity and they remind us what it means to be human. And then, when we are ready, we can find in them comfort or learning or both as has so many people before us. In episode 18 of The Poet (delayed), read my poem, "I'm a Poet" and I am joined by Salt Lake City based author, poet, editor and my new friend, Jennifer Adams. I read my poem, "I'm a Poet," and Jen and I discuss the power of literature and poetry as well as her newest of book, "All's Right With the World," inspired by Robert Browning's poem, Pippa's Song, which will be released March 7, 2023. It can be pre-purchased at The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/book/9780062962485) and Barnes and Noble (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alls-right-with-the-world-jennifer-adams/1141622696;jsessionid=30D4A4FFB656EF3237C0CC83D1AA35BC.prodny_store02-atgap02?ean=9780062962485) I'M A POET I'm a wordsmith. Wielding my Montblanc hammer On my Moleskine anvil. I shape words and forge them together. Quenching them in my inky oil to temper them. To make them hard for breaking souls. I'm a word weaver. Weaving on my parchment loom, I guide the weft threads of metaphors Through taut warp threads of nouns and verbs. Resulting in a strong, velvety weave For binding up broken souls. I'm a painter. My palette is full of words for mixing: Some fresh and liquid, some dry and hard. At times I work them smooth and technical (Vermeer in verse). Other times raw and passionate (Van Gogh in verse) Each painting with an Abrahamic number of interpretations. I'm a wordsmith I'm a weaver I'm a painter I'm a poet. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. If you're interested, my first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps is available for purchase at Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) and The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) Special Guest: Jennifer Adams.

On April 11, 1984, my family moved to Bountiful, Utah from Ramstein Air Base in Germany. My mom had just passed away a few days earlier. One of the first orders of business when we got to Bountiful, was to enroll me and my siblings in school. I was enrolled at Hannah Holbrook Elementary School for the last couple of months of 4th grade, and was assigned to Ms. Boulton's class. I don't remember much from those couple of months nor do I really remember meeting anyone at the time other than a few friends who lived close to my house, John Mayer, for instance – but not that John Mayer. But in my class was a girl named Allison Coombs (now Spencer). We didn't spend time together or hang out per se. In fact, I don't have any memories of her. But last June, she friended me on Facebook and I knew her name and I knew her face immediately. She's told me since that she doesn't have any memories of me either – I was just the boy who came and went. In the months since, she has commented on a few of my posts and has been very kind and encouraging to me about my poetry and my podcast. And I've learned a few things about her as we've reconnected a friendship neither of us remembered having. Among the things I've learned is that in November 2021, Allison was diagnosed with Stage 2 Unfavorable Hodgkin's Lymphoma. (By the way, “unfavorable”? Who comes up with these terms, soccer match announcers? - “That was unlucky!”) But as terrifying as that was, she rose up to battle and, with the help of family, friends and competent medical providers, she waged battle as a head shorn warrior and the cancer is now in remission. And now, nearly 39 years after we became (apparently) forgettable classmates, Allison joined me on The Poet (delayed) to discuss the topic of “truth” and ways in which her experience with cancer has shaped the lens through which she sees the world. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. If you're interested, my first book of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, is available at: Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) The Kings English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) Special Guest: Allison Spencer.

Nirvana I crave silence - clear and still, And darkness too. So complete My body melds with it Erasing the line where Darkness ends and I begin. I crave nothingness. I was joined by Monte Wingle as I read my poem, Nirvana, and we discussed thoughts and ideas that came. Also, in the spirit of craving nothingness, we visited True Rest Float Spa to experience their float tank and see how close we could get to nothingness. True REST Draper (https://linktr.ee/truerestdraper?fbclid=PAAaZgWS_xjYmquxAHqKnhIQ3VUNkBeyp5N3gL6vtr1Tjbawl4HAAqMRYy2FY) Cover photo by: Lenka Sluneckova (https://unsplash.com/@lsportraits) Music: Prelude 2, by Max Richter (https://open.spotify.com/track/1bzEtavNEReKgIsubYgAMc?si=tDQABEFNRyqaHmeGlR-y6A) USA National Suicide Hotline (voice and text): 988 UK Suicide Hotline: 08006895652 I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. If you're interested, I recently published my first book of poetry which is available at the following place: Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) The Kings English Book Shop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) Special Guest: Monte Wingle.

TERRIBLE POTENTIAL I see it now For years I only sensed it Or saw the dissipating dust tails of its approach But it filled me with terror And there was no cover or protection So I ran As fast as my child stride could take me Not even knowing what it was – Only that it was coming But that made the fear so much more In my little mind So I ran harder Until I forgot why I was running – Only knowing that I couldn't stop But I see it now Its shape is fluid and undefined And its terrible potential fills my mind I want to keep running – retreating But it won't stop and It's closing the gap and It's more terrible than I ever thought But its real – I see it now And I know There's no escape, there never was. But I want to keep running anyway Until it overtakes me I won't see it coming; it will just happen and be done But my insufficient legs refuse to carry me anymore So I prostrate myself as an offering I know you're coming, I whisper, And I offer myself willingly This is not defeat, I reassure myself Then lower my eyes And brace for its fury But my mind keeps moving – defiantly It knows truths that my body forgot And reminds me: You were born with claws And they're with you still – And I remember and feel them They are deep, but I feel them and they are there So, I raise my body from the dirt and My eyes to the distance It is closer now – the gap disappearing But not my fear. My fear is growing (broadcast loudly by my beating heart) But I no longer want to run Nor offer myself willingly Instead, I watch it come and I wait – in fear, true But I wait to receive it And I steady myself. I have claws and I feel them And I will meet it face to face I have terrible potential too I feel it now. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. If you're interested, my poetry that I read on this podcast was recently published in my book My Mother Sleeps which is available at Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) and The King's English Bookshop (https://www.kingsenglish.com/search/author/%22Edgar%2C%20Scott%20R.%22) Special Guest: Justino Foster.

BEACONS In the days When my horizons shifted, I remember you and The gifts you brought to me: tenderness, love and protection. But in my youthful confusion, Knew not how to receive them – I had known them from a different horizon. But that horizon went dark in an instant (without warning) Though not entirely – there was protection still But love and tenderness, Those beacons were extinguished, it seemed, Until they flamed up again, But now on your horizon and (without waiting) You brought them to me – Unconditionally and ad infinitum. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. If you're interested, I recently published two books of poetry which are available on Amazon.com: My Mother Sleeps and On Becoming a Black Hole (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Special Guest: Aunt Kash.

Inconsequential At what point is my absence Inconsequential? When they're too young to know the need? (But that time is gone) Certainly not now In the midst of life's straits With foamy waves pounding And hidden reefs lurking Beneath an angry, fluid surface. No; Not now. Now they need a captain (is that presumptuous?) Who has already navigated a similar course – though more Hazelwood than Magellan. (well, all Hazelwood and no Magellan) Perhaps that time will be When they've helmed their own ship. Is my absence inconsequential then? Can I cross the bar then? Of course they'll think of me and perhaps Want to see my face and Hear my voice (or have me hear their voice and see their face) But would my absence harm them? in those later years? That is the question. But here's the better question: Would my absence now be better than running them aground, again and again and taking on salty water to no seeming end? I've given it a go. But the ship lists endlessly and The course seems fucked. Would the idea of me Be better than the reality? That is the real question. No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee. John Donne, Meditation XVII (from Devotions Upon Emergent Occassions, 1623) I'd love to hear any thoughts about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. If you're interested, I recently published two books of poetry which are available on Amazon.com: My Mother Sleeps & On Becoming a Black Hole (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Special Guest: Jason Langston.

I'd love to hear what your thoughts on the topics that were discussed in this episode. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. "The noble soul has reverence for itself." - Frederic Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil If you're interested, I recently published two books of poetry which are available on Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Special Guest: Nate Morris.