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Alone in my pain it’s no wonder,Stripping my life out from under,Killing me slowly with his thoughts;He kept right on telling me all of his lies,This young boy who was a stranger to my eyes.Kept far away to stop my eyes from crying, Nothing I can do but listen to his lying,I prayed that he... Continue Reading →
I have chosen to use the exact words used by the people of the day in this story. This includes the racial slurs used by those involved. I think using the word “nigger” versus “the N word” impacts the story and shows the prejudice and bigotry that existed back then. Using it is in no... Continue Reading →
He puts the words and the melodies together, he is music, and he writes the songs… Saturday night Barry Manilow did just that at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Celebrating his 50th anniversary as an entertainer, the decades long crooner of hit songs such as Mandy, I Write The Songs, Looks Like We Made It,... Continue Reading →
Anyone who has ever seen the hit TV show M*A*S*H is familiar with the opening theme, a song titled, Suicide Is Painless. Did you know that there are lyrics to that song? Through early morning fog I see,Visions of the things to be,The pains that are withheld for me,I realize and I can see.That suicide... Continue Reading →
If anyone grew up on a horse farm or has been around horses a lot, you may eventually have to deal with the traumatic event of having to put down a lame horse. If you ever have to witness such a thing, it is one of the worst feelings in the world. I shot a... Continue Reading →
The Echo In My Eyes The Voice I hear, that is drawing me near,Lying at night, I am so alone full of fear,Of who I was but am now and nothing more; The one voice that I had never heard before,A deepening shiver and longing of who is he.Finding that one thing that makes it... Continue Reading →
The day drones on so drab and dreary,Dark clouds cry rain my soul is weary;Mourning calls its wailing toll to those who cried,Those dreadful words - our Queen, she has died! No fuller life lived could be said or have had,For a Queen so young when she lost her dad;To find her Prince to have... Continue Reading →
On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court of the United States passed Roe v. Wade. This court made a legal decision and set a precedent that seemed would stand the test of time, with the continual fight for women’s rights and equality for all. In reality, there never should have had to have been a... Continue Reading →
To all of the women and children of Ukraine — My dears. Throughout history, women have borne witness to the catastrophes of humanity. Our sisters before us have stood the tests of war and time as the ones who keep our families, our communities and countries together while our men fight for our just causes.
One morning that came upon me early, I was awoken abruptly and feeling surly, To the sound of an unrelenting rapping; That soon turned into a constant tapping, No sound but rap tap tap - and nothing more, At then what I thought was my bedroom door.
Disclaimer: The following short story deals with childhood sexual abuse, violence and revenge… ——————————————————- . . Jackie Hemingway dealt with pain her entire life. Whether it was physical or emotional, pain often hung over her like a dark cloud ready to burst into a storm all around her at any moment. She cried as she... Continue Reading →
I started writing this poem years ago, but left it half written and couldn’t bring myself to find a way to finish it, mostly because I didn’t know how it should end. Today I did… Sitting here in this airport just look at me,In a wheelchair bandaged I can hardly see;My long journey home I... Continue Reading →
Jack Hemingway returns in the sequel to the novel Lady In Red. Unable to reconcile the loss of family and unwilling to accept that he has fathered a child that could possibly grow up as dysfunctional as himself, Jack spirals into an abyss of depression and self-loathing. Remnants from the war cause him physical pain... Continue Reading →
Weariness comes, darkness fills every thought,No one seems to care, life it matters naught;Nighttime dances all around, pain is all that’s found,Still a chance for you to cope, peace for you to be bound.No more secrets kept, no more blood to let,No more worries do you need to fret;Someone is there to help you find,That... Continue Reading →
Every time we have to say goodbye,I fear a tear will come to my eye;Never materializing and I wonder why,Away we go along the by and by.Knowing it is just a matter of time,Our moments shared rise up sublime;My ears refuse to hear the chime,The hour of adieu is such a crime.Nevertheless I manage quite... Continue Reading →
Life’s been tough you don’t know what to do,No answers gonna come to help pull you through,So you close your eyes, hope it all goes away; Can’t keep all the clouds from turnin’ dark gray,Life’s here to stay, ain’t gonna change for you anyway.So you turn to something gonna make you feel good,You know you... Continue Reading →
Taming the winds not so easily,Wherever it wants so ceaselessly;Come and go the whole day long,Kisses your ear like a favorite song.Corralled by life that holds a firm grip,Never uttering a word not even a quip;Just each day in and another one out,Freedom gone lacking to make you shout.Where is a place to embrace the... Continue Reading →
Inspiration comes in many forms and from many directions. I have been a writer my entire life, literally since the age of about six or seven. Yet, it is only in these past few years I feel that I have become a writer. Art, in whatever form you choose to embrace it, is something the... Continue Reading →
Everyone has heard America’s national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner. It was written by lawyer Francis Scott Key while he was aboard the British truce ship HMS Tonnant, negotiating the release of a friend and other American prisoners. Most people know at least some of the words, some know all of the words; but few... Continue Reading →
Say more...is a term used by FBI Director James Comey, among others, in the two-episode series on Showtime, The Comey Rule, starring Jeff Daniels. I have no doubt that the term is or could be used by the FBI, it is a way that its speaker can convey the desire to hear more information from... Continue Reading →
On September 10, 2020, Jackie Hemingway set out from Pass-A-Grille, Florida on a record-setting four mile swim. She intended to swim to a point two miles to the west of Pass-A-Grille, turn around and swim two miles back. You can read about this in the short story, This One’s Got You Beat! It is highly... Continue Reading →
I have received some feedback from quite a few people who tell me they were not happy with the ending of this story and what happens to Jackie Hemingway. So I have written an alternate version which has subtle changes peppered throughout, so even if you have read it before, read it again from the... Continue Reading →
Between men and women there can be no denying the stranglehold and control that male privilege holds in societies around the world. Certainly female privilege exists, as do many other types. However female privilege seems to center around negative issues. Women are believed over men in domestic violence events which I absolutely do not agree... Continue Reading →
As she walked home alone Jackie noticed several people standing outside of her building. Among those waiting she saw a somewhat familiar face. It was someone she had only met as a fan of her books who persistently asked for her autograph. His name was Eric Steven Walker and though she often saw him as... Continue Reading →
Harry “Breaker” Morant was known in Australia as perhaps the most skilled horseman and horse breaker of his day, hence his nickname - The Breaker. Peter Handcock was married but known to be a ladies man. George Whitton was a young idealist. He wrote a book about the whole matter called, Scapegoats of the Empire,... Continue Reading →
As he walked through camp Jack heard the unmistakeable sound of a woman struggling. He stopped in his tracks and turned his head trying to zero in on the origin of the sound. When he located the source he double-timed it to a tent row as the cries intensified. Jack threw open a tent flap... Continue Reading →
For anyone who has ever worn the uniform Jack Hemingway sat in the right front seat of the military Humvee. As they rolled along the desert floor he tried not to think about what had happened the day before. He was part of a forward scouting troop of Humvees and M3 Bradleys that were well... Continue Reading →
“Will you write about it?” Jack asked. “Jack, what you’re giving me is really just hearsay.” Pam said. Pam Baker was a reporter for the Tribune and had written several stories on the war. “Hearsay? I was there, I saw what happened.” “Look, I believe you. Really. But I can’t just write it without at... Continue Reading →
The first time I glanced at her I saw the sun rise in her eyes, My naked exposure my heart was so desperate to disguise; The last time I saw her we were miles from where we met, The slow undoing of our love is what I would always regret. She could tell our story... Continue Reading →
What does it take for someone to be, A painter of things only they can see; No training is required just an artistic bent, But paint on canvas won’t always pay the rent. At first the ideas come easy and your brush it does flow, Do you want to paint like Picasso or like Vincent... Continue Reading →
The following was excerpted and rewritten from a conversation between Jackie Hemingway and artist Jennifer Dunham on paying your dues as an artist.No artist ever worth a damn painted one painting and became rich and famous.Even if it is hard to do so, try to look at it this way — the starving artist helps... Continue Reading →
Jackie Hemingway checked her instruments as she flew along in her Quicksilver ultralight airplane. The weather conditions were clear and calm and she was cruising at an altitude of five hundred and fifty feet. Ultralight airplanes do not require the pilot to be licensed but there is substantial training involved in addition to learning as... Continue Reading →
When oft I set my mind to ponder, Upon the loveliest things I let it wander; Through the gentle and pleasing memory, Come circling back to visit with me. Oh, how nothing I’ve known can ever compare, To the love I embraced and longed to share; With my one true love sharing back with me,... Continue Reading →
I had a dream last night while I did slumber, Fortunate that my subconscious it did encumber; Those horrible thoughts came to set my mind on, Two monsters that come at me from hither and yon. One from each side so there could be no escape, Each one of my senses they intentioned to rape;... Continue Reading →
My rifle I hold with a steady hand, To fight for freedom and make a stand; My country goes where there is a need, Though they know that some will bleed. When setting foot on a distant shore, Prepared for battle like never before; Think not of the reason we all were sent, Or dissect... Continue Reading →
Sitting within a room that’s full, Of chaos, lies and the constant pull; Of a juggler sweating to keep afloat, The untrue life that he had wrote. To lament a story that knew no love, Cried out from within like a wounded dove; Understanding little of the time he spent, In a room for sale... Continue Reading →
The dark may come if I close an eye, And make me scream and make me cry; Shadows long and ghosts dance near, To try and force upon me fear. Ever on guard to make a stand, To be delivered from his bony hand; Trying to kill, to quench my breath, Forcing now a rendezvous... Continue Reading →
I’m jealous of each drop of rain,That washes away every stain;Falling down to wet your skin,And cleansing you from within.I’m jealous of the sun’s each ray,Caressing you all through the day;Shining so brightly upon your face,Keeping you in its warm embrace.I’m jealous of the wind in your hair,As it gently dances through the air;Whispered breezes... Continue Reading →
We all grew up with our fair share of angst, issues and problems. I was no different than anyone else. My life also happened to deal with the extremely uncomfortable and awkward issue of what is today called gender dysphoria. I knew when I was around four years old that I felt differently; I did... Continue Reading →
The term Universal Humanism as defined here does not infer any sort of religious belief nor does it proffer any connection to any belief system, social or political body. When defining Universal Humanism it is important to disassociate any prior correlation of these two terms either singularly or together. Universal Humanism is the viewpoint that... Continue Reading →
Jackie quickly calculated the direction and speed of the storm approaching her as she swam more than a mile offshore. She enjoyed the freedom of open water swimming, however, it was a passion that wasn’t without its perils. Today bore that statement true as Jackie, now offshore at a distance of just under a mile... Continue Reading →
Jack walked into the dingy market and gas station. He didn’t need gas but it was August in Texas, it was hot and he was thirsty. He nodded as he walked past the employee behind the counter. He was a robust younger fellow who was speaking with an equally robust man who stood on the... Continue Reading →
When it comes to presidents, heck even to just human beings, Trump is one of the most grandiose narcissists there has ever been. And beyond that, looking at him strictly from the clinical, psychological perspective, he’s an absolute disaster. A freight train hurtling down the track, derailing himself at every turn! He is a psychiatrists’... Continue Reading →
How the Chicago Housing Authority Treated its Poor and Huddled Masses It was on March 30, 2011 that the last high rise of Chicago’s Cabrini-Green housing projects was torn down. Scant traces of its former history are barely found by the keen observer as redevelopment has closed the 70 acre complex which housed at times about... Continue Reading →
This article was originally written in June 2012. There are many things that can cause us to remember events from our past. Something visual, something heard, felt or touched or something in the air we smelled that compels us to remember an event, a person, or time. Smells and aromas are one of the most... Continue Reading →
Hemingway Ink 