He was wobble-running aimlessly in the open road; I pointed him out to an oncoming pickup truck. The driver slowed and moved around him, because my Roanoke neighbors are awesome.
Granted, what I did required the sheer minimum of effort that a human being can exert to help an animal. But my victories have numbered pretty few lately, so I’m taking pride in it.
You heard it here first.
She is already a superior poet to me — with a tiny fraction of the time and effort. (Don’t ya just hate the people who have inordinately high aptitudes? Damned wunderkind.)
It is a good thing that I love her so madly; otherwise, I’d be jealous.
The Piker Press today published my poem, “Orchard, Girl and Frost.” 🙂
As always, I’m grateful to Managing Editor Sand Pilarski for founding this wonderful creative community!
Retail wasn’t an option. I’m pre-owned.
If lovin’ you is wrong, then I don’t wanna to be right.
Sincerely,
Eric Robert Nolan
Occoquan Bay/Potomac River, 2015. I miss this lady — and her husband and sons. One of the coolest families I have ever met.
The really cool people at Spillwords Press today featured my prose poem, “Her Smile Was Silver Jupiter.”
Thanks once again to Chief Editor Dagmara K. for allowing me to be a part of this terrific community of readers and writers.
I am so grateful to have three poems and six photos published in the Spring/Summer 2026 Issue of The Stray Branch. Despite some challenging circumstances surrounding her family’s health, Editor and Founder Debbie Berk today released the new installment of this outstanding independent literature magazine. (I know I am not alone in admiring Ms. Berk’s extraordinary commitment to the creative community that she established.)
The poems selected were “imagine the moon as companion,” “An Altogether Different Slumber” and “Blue Wolves Move in an Indigo Wood.” The photos were a selection of black-and-white shots that I took throughout Salem and Roanoke, Virginia.
You can purchase a copy of the magazine right here:
The Stray Branch — Spring/Summer 2026
I am so happy to report here that my short nature poem, “The Mountain at Summer, Seen from a Passing Car,” will be included in the upcoming Gathering poetry anthology. Gathering is an outstanding annual collection developed by Poets Anonymous and The Bards Initiative, and published by Local Gems Press.
The book is slated for an August 26th release, following a book launch that day at 7:30 PM at the Courtyard Dulles Airport Chantilly, 3935 Centerview Drive, Chantilly VA 20151. (The doors open at 7 PM.)
For preorder information, please see the Local Gems Press website here.
I am quite grateful to The Bards Initiative President James P. Wagner, along with Lesley Tyson and Megan McDonald of Poets Anonymous.
This will mark the 45th anthology where my writing has appeared.
the air is burning
that is all
