RJ: We just started promoting it but I have received some very nice feedback. One theme that keeps coming up is that people who don't write poetry themselves have said when they read my poems they feel like the poems were written for them. What is surprising is that everyone seems to have a different favorite poem based on where they are in their life now and what stands out in their life journey. I haven't heard much scuttlebutt but I don't pay much attention to what others say. I have always written for myself and my purpose is to share my life experience of inner peace and happiness with whomever would like to share.
JB: I had never heard of National Poetry Month before reading that press release. April 17th, there was an event at the Lincoln Center called Poetry & the Creative Mind, where contemporary poetry was read and celebrated. This annual gala has been going on since 2002. Guest readers over the years have included Meryl Streep, Caroline Kennedy, Vanessa Redgrave, Wynton Marsalis, Tom Brokaw, Lauren Bacall and Dick Cavett. And all of this is sponsored by the Academy of American Poets. Have you ever attended the gala, Richard? It sounds fabulous.
RJ: No, I have not. I have been running and building businesses until this past year!
JB: Good point. Are you retired now, Richard? Besides co-owning the Phoenix Suns, of course.
RJ: We sold the assets of my third company over a year ago and I am just winding down the final details. I am trying to stay out of the way of opportunity, but I am not doing very well! I am advising an exciting genome company that is build a proprietary platform to transfer, store, data mine and share massive amounts of data being generated to personalize genome medicine. It's the way of future medicine. Also, I have recently be asked to go on the board of a leading stem cell company which I find very exciting. I have just begun to explore it! Both companies, when successful, will help save millions of lives!
JB: That is exciting. I guess the short answer is that you're not really slowing down. And you're not doing a very good job staying out of the way of opportunity, either! Anything you'd like to add before we wrap this up, Richard?
RJ: In closing, I would just like to express how fragile life is. We never know what tomorrow will bring so I believe it is important to find our own inner peace and happiness in the present and not put it off until the kids are grown up or we sell our business or find another job! One of my favorite stanzas comes from my poem Eternal Happiness that states:
A happiness with one's own true self
Not an easy bond to make
Allows our hearts to pour out love
Without the need to take!
So, my advice is for each of us is to love ourselves and become our own best friend. Tell the special people in our lives that we love them and laugh, love and hug as much as we can.
Brett, Maxi, Ann, Richard and Charly
JB: How different the world look if everyone followed your advice. Back to National Poetry Month, listen to this. There have been all kinds of interesting activities going on: Everything for the purpose of enhancing our awareness of poetry and its charms. April 18th, for instance, was Poem in Your Pocket Day, which is just what it sounds like. What a great idea! I missed it this year but I'll be ready for it next time around. Thank you for talking with me, Richard. It's been fun.
***
30 ways to celebrate what's left of National Poetry Month
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
2
2
1
