Sticky post
After two and a half years of writing and rewriting, editing and re-editing, I am thrilled to have my two books out in the world! With a Good Heart: A Walk From LA to Brooklyn and Imagine the Sea: One Hundred Poems From a Long Walk (a companion book of poetry) are available for purchase! Please consider buying them through the publisher’s website. You can … Continue reading BUY BOOKS HERE!
That photo of me with my arms stretched out is old. Like, 7 years old. But it well represents how I’m feeling right now. Singing from the highest mountaintop (which in NC isn’t all that high). Breathing a sigh of relief, for the time being, anyhow. Today I finished the first major draft of my book. And it’s by pure coincidence that I began writing … Continue reading Draft #1 COMPLETE!!
Last week I attended the Association of Writing Programs (AWP) conference held this year in Portland, Oregon. I attended my share of classes and panels, readings and social events. For the first time I felt like I was part of the writing community, and not an imposter. This post sums up my notes and thoughts from the overall experience. Which, turns out, aligned well with … Continue reading Body Thoughts
During the first week of January 2018 I am beginning a walk across the United States. I’m starting in Santa Monica, California and ending with a belly flop in the Atlantic ocean – the exact finish location will be determined by the ordeal’s six-ish months of unknown variables. But if I had to predict it, I’d guess somewhere in New England. Maine, maybe. My why … Continue reading I’m Walking Across the USA
I wrap up my brief, impromptu México City visit with a blog written in the same format as part 1. Once again, I leave feeling super humbled by all the city offers. This time around, not only did I write months of new material in a week, I also sought out moments of purposeful vulnerability. Now it’s time to leave, but I’m not ready to … Continue reading Leave Home to Get Home
Inspired by Kenneth Rexroth’s One Hundred Poems From the Japanese, I’ll tell part one of my México City visit in a similar form. I begin, however, with one from the Rexroth collection: I have always known That at last I would Take this road, but yesterday I did not know that it would be today. … Continue reading D.F. Poetry of Sensibility
I stood beneath the tattered awning of a llantería and waited for the rain to let up. But it just came down harder. Streets turned into ankle-deep rivers as thunder rocked buildings. I didn’t have an umbrella, but I was wearing a parka. And though my torso was dry, five minutes in the rain had soaked my pants straight through. I pulled out my phone … Continue reading Ain’t No Drag
After barely one mile, my left knee started to buckle. Blame it on a tight IT band, the 6 hours of yard work I did the day before, or last September’s shoddy surgery meant to get me running again (it didn’t). Whatever the case, all I could think about was failure. I freaked out, a hitch in each step. I wasn’t as concerned about turning … Continue reading Carrboro to Pittsboro
Today I knocked out a nearly 20-mile walk, following a standard local bike route from my house in Carrboro to the Saxapahaw General Store. I figured it would take a bit more than 5 hours, so to beat the heat I left at 6:45am. Scores of cyclists seemed to have adjusted their Sunday rides for similar reasons. But maybe so many out on a Sunday … Continue reading Carrboro to Saxapahaw
Walk Across America Training #2 Continue reading Carrboro to Cocoa Cinnamon
Tom Griffen 
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