Author Archives: Dale Hobson

People, and poets in particular, easily fall into thinking that the beaty of the world is created just for their pleasure. Yeah, but no. Flowers Dress to Please the Bees Few regard the sundew deep in the marshor delight in … Continue reading →

Here’s another poem from an April poem-a-day challenge, 2010, maybe. Our daughter Elena was grown and flown, building a life for herself in the Boston area. Parenting Hanging out in your old room propped up on your pillowsstaring at the same … Continue reading →

Just ran across a draft of this written back when I was doing an April poem-a-s-day challenge. I think it cleans up nicely. Fluid Dynamics The whirlpool behind Sugar Island damwhere snowmelt drops to the penstocksends ripples back across the … Continue reading →

When I was young, there were still a few quarry-trained masons working with Potsdam sandstone. As young men they rode the narrow-gauge rail line from the quarry five miles downstream to the stone yard. Memories fade out over time, which … Continue reading →

I once read Stephen Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time.” Heavy sledding, but there was this one bright moment when it all became perfectly clear. My hair stood on end for about five seconds, and then it all fell apart … Continue reading →

This could be Appendix A to “A North Country Guy’s Guide to North Country Guys.”  Why Guys Don’t Need Purses Everything a guy needs fits into his pockets.Wallet in the right rear, comb in the left–so he can buy beer, … Continue reading →

The doctrine of karma can be pretty discouraging. This may be why so many, given the choice, prefer a merciful God to a just one. Bad Karma Sutra Aside from doing nothing, there’s nothing you can doto avoid it. Think … Continue reading →

Photo: stuart anthony, Creative Commons, some rights reserved Being cold a lot is good for the ingenuity. There a lot of ways to get warm, both literally and figuratively. Ignore the folks from more blessed climes who try to tell … Continue reading →

Artists of all kinds are often accused of prettifying the world, cleaning up its faults and scars to make an artificial beauty. But the opposite is more often true. What the world presents, what nature does of its own accord … Continue reading →

I added to my old man skill set by learning to play backgammon this week. I have a little bit to say about the social utility of board games, but not much. Board Games In a far corner of the … Continue reading →