Hello, all who either happened to stumble on to my page or regular subscribers. It’s Poetry Night, where I drop some samples of original poetry for your consumption and consideration. The theme for tonight is… all over the place, to be honest. Let’s see what I whip up tonight.

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The first poem tonight is me realizing I’m in a fiction writing rut and trying to get out of it with this poem. It’s only sort of working¹.

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Procrastination

Fort Madison, Iowa, 26 September 2025

Staring at a screen

Which is not the one you need to be staring at

The words don’t come

You want them to appear already

The creation completed

The effort behind you.

But your thoughts

Dart toward endless distractions

And entertainments occupying your mind.

The problem is

While you feel calm when you distract yourself

At the end

There’s just emptiness for time and opportunities

Wasted.

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This is not a poem intended to be aimed at anyone in particular. I think it’s something that might apply to many people who think they might need to engage with certain individuals, some they know very well, some little more than strangers. Sometimes it’s better to keep your distance.

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Hermitage

Fort Madison, Iowa, 26 September 2025

There are people in this world

Who provide anxiety and not comfort

Emotional work and not renewal,

Who drain and don’t cultivate.

You feel you need to engage

To draw them in, to cultivate relationships.

Building relations, networks,

Is the most human of instincts.

But poisoned people you don’t need

In your hermitage of the soul,

You can keep that safe

And thrive on your own.

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Now a quick commercial break, lol.

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If You’re Interested in the Poetry You See Here… You Might Want to Check Out Some More…

My first collection of poetry is out.

Since Substack doesn’t have the setup for this (that I’m aware of), I’ve set up something at my WordPress sister site, Liegois Media. I have my own Internet storefront page where you can order my chapbook for $6 per copy. The link is below.

The Flow and the Journey

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Anyway, hope your night is going well. I’m doing all right, trust me. See you around the bend of the road, river, or rail, depending².

-30-

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While I do appreciate you following this blog, I really would like you to subscribe to my Substack page. By subscribing to that page, you’ll not only be receiving my Substack newsletter, The Writing Life With Jason Liegois (the companion blog to this one), but you’ll also be signing up for my email list. Just click the button below.

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1. It’s actually not – I just looked at my word count for last week. ↩︎
2. Thanks to my friend and fellow poet Gesene Oake for her suggestions and revisions to these pieces. ↩︎

Hi, everyone, subscribers and random readers alike. It’s Poetry Night, the night I drop some brand new selections of verse for your reading pleasure. The use of words and those who use words for a living are the themes of tonight’s offerings.

But first, a quick commercial break 😄.

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If You’re Interested in the Poetry You See Here… You Might Want to Check Out Some More…

My first collection of poetry is out.

Since Substack doesn’t have the setup for this (that I’m aware of), I’ve set up something at my WordPress sister site, Liegois Media. I have my own Internet storefront page where you can order my chapbook for $6 per copy. The link is below.

The Flow and the Journey

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Over the years I’ve spent writing in all forms and genres, there’s always been a balancing act between using mountains of words to paint vivid mental pictures or construct grand arguments and keeping what you write short and to the point. Combining this observation with Miles Davis’ statements about how the notes a musician doesn’t play have more significance than the ones they do play were inspiration for this piece.

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Words and Spaces

Fort Madison, Iowa, 22 August 2025

Over time in the years I’ve worked and weaved with words

I’ve used ones which were impactful, obscure, theatrical, stylish, and elaborate.

At times they overcrowded my work

Weary football fans packing onto too-small benches for forgotten games and reasons.

But over years I’ve come to learn

The spaces between words

The things left unsaid and unattended for the reader to ponder

Make a meaningful effect.

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Earlier this week was the ninth anniversary of The Tragically Hip’s final live show in their hometown of Windsor, Toronto, Canada. The legendary Canadian band was at the end of its final tour after vocalist and primary songwriter Gord Downie announced he had terminal brain cancer. He’d die a year later at just 53 years old.

I had been vaguely aware of the band during its growth into prominence during the early 90’s, but they were always more Canada’s band than other great Canadian musical acts that found cross-border appeal. Unfortunately, I didn’t get into them heavily until just before his death, so I’ve had to spend the time since sifting through three decades worth of fantastic music.

Tonight, I figured a dude who once wrote a song called “Poets” was probably a good subject for one.

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Words to Remember Gord (A Memorial)

Fort Madison, Iowa, 20 August 2025

I remember the sight of you in white

Jaunty white top hat

Knife-edge lean but a grin as wide as the Ontario prairies

Singing for your home and people with a ferocity born

Knowing it was the last time.

Knowing Death was gathering you up, preparing your space,

As you stood tall on the stage.

You sung of death long before it reached you,

But also of love, friendship, loss, home, and life

You were a poet even as you said not to tell you of them

And what I learned from you is

Life has no dress rehearsal

It is now.

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Well, hope I gave you some enjoyment tonight. Hope the rest of August goes well for you. Take care, everyone.

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While I do appreciate you following this blog, I really would like you to subscribe to my Substack page. By subscribing to that page, you’ll not only be receiving my Substack newsletter, The Writing Life With Jason Liegois (the companion blog to this one), but you’ll also be signing up for my email list. Just click the button below.

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