tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3407624264627208128.post4054304996723598321..comments2024-01-26T21:38:25.924-08:00Comments on Duane's PoeTree: Ike writesDuanesPoeTreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053093400086634552noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3407624264627208128.post-61904019532444501332015-12-22T16:01:23.956-08:002015-12-22T16:01:23.956-08:00From birth Ike (Ike Eikanger) has had no left fore...From birth Ike (Ike Eikanger) has had no left forebrain. As he writes in his book A JOURNEY FROM ILLITERACY TO POETRY, "I was born paralyzed on my right side from my eye to my toes. The paralyzation was caused by brain damage. It has been a long and hard journey. Over the years, so many people, including my mother and stepfather, said I couldn't, shouldn't do 'IT' and I proved them wrong. I could not read nor write. I started to read and write when I was 54. But over the years I have had two tutors, Ted and Helen, through the public library system's Project Second Chance. They have helped me find the talent I had buried inside me. I am now writing short stories and poetry.<br />" Here is one of his poems:<br /><br />READING<br /><br />In 54 years of marriage and a lifetime of illiteracy<br />My wife never asked me to read anything<br />She always read to me<br />One day last week she was reading in the car<br />While I went in the store<br />When I came out of the store and got in the car<br />For the first time in 54 years<br />My wife said read this article<br />And so for the first time in my life<br />I did!<br /><br />(In terms of the directness and honesty of his poetic expression, Ike reminds me a lot of Charles Bukowski -- except that Ike is sweet while Bukowsky is cynical.) DuanesPoeTreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17053093400086634552noreply@blogger.com