Author: Kurt Philip Behm

I am a lifelong author with 21 books published to date—one best seller. Much of my writing is about the deception of time and its many disguises. My Poetry 'An Anthology Of Perception,' is now available in four volumes. In addition I have a 175 page Poem 'After Midnight,' that was published in 2014. My Historical Fiction series, 'The Sword Of Ichiban' is now up to volume 8 which is being published this Spring ... Vol #1- The Sword Of Ichiban Vol #2- Darkening Sun Vol #3- Revenge Along The War Trail Vol #4- Death From The Sky Vol #5- Jumping Into the Darkness Vol #6- The Fall City Mandate. Vol #7- Approaching Storm Vol #8- Brothers In Blood One autobiographical novel, 'The Death Of The Playground' a Best Seller, published in 2007. One travel novel, 'Searching For Crazy Horse,' published in 2005, recapping my forty years of motorcycle touring in the American Rocky Mountain West. I have written one Children's Book, 'Sammy & Bumpers' that was published in 2016. All of my books are available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and better Book Stores world wide. Kurt Philip Behm

Only Now

Does worry only exist

in our memory

Or is foresight

required to fret

 

Will a bear live in fear

of the hunter

Or ignore what

might happen unmet

 

When alarm bells go off

in the moment

Rejecting the

future and past

 

Is time at its essence

but present

All reference

 — a rationalist caste

 

(The New Room: January, 2024)

Aretha

Once she performed it

she made it her own

 With joy we all listened

and marveled atoned

 

Endowed from the heavens

the Angels in awe

Her spirit celestial

your nerve endings raw

 

A voice for all seasons

Grand Madam of sound

To search for a lifetime

her like never found

 

While crossing each genre

she made time a slave

Her stylings eternal

— a gift heaven gave

 

(For Aretha Franklin: January, 2024)

 

Left To Wander

Alone

in my boyhood

the adult awaits

impatient indulgence

the year growing late

 

The woods

and the forest

refuse to let go

my spirit within them

the man to forego

 

Parents

and teachers

left counting the days

as wonder and whimsy

hold on and delay

 

The moment

I falter

the day that I fall

that boy left to wander

— where time never calls

 

(Dreamsleep: January, 2024) 

It’s Best …

Sometimes

it’s a very good idea

to cry

 

Sometimes

hello the opening act

of goodbye

 

Sometimes

what you think about

is not what you know

 

Sometimes

the reason to come

the best reason to go

 

Sometimes

when cresting the hill

the view doesn’t change

 

Sometimes

when cresting the hill

your destiny claimed

 

Sometimes

when music enthralls

the poetry flows

 

Sometimes

when music enthralls

there’s nothing to sow

 

Sometimes

a wish in the wind

beats two in the well

 

Sometimes

the harder we pray

the closer to hell

 

Sometimes

 just what you ask for

is just what you’ll get

 

Sometimes

when hope has been lost

— it’s best to forget

 

(Dreamsleep: January, 2024)