Cead Fáilte
A thousand welcomes to Crann na beatha Short Stories and Poetry for April 19th, 2024
I am back again with more stories and poetry for everyone this week. My debut on the world’s stage will get even bigger next Monday night as this podcast will start being broadcast on WAA Radio (see the advert above for date and time).
I have four stories and four poems this week. The first is chapter twelve of the ongoing story From Beyond the Water Wall, then, a three short stories, two from the same writer, some beautiful poems, one with a bit of the Gael in it that I will do my best to read with my American accent, and another wonderful meditative poem by David B to close things out.
So gather round once more and let me bring these stories and poems to life for you.
This week, my other podcast was picked up by another radio station out in Colorado. Those details are in my Wednesday newsletter, The Village Oak Tree. The one thing I realized with that after I watched the show, is that I need to do a better job at editing before I send it out. As the ‘ole Sarge used to say ‘Pay attention to detail stupid.”
I think I do a better job on this one, what do you think? Click play above and let me know.
I do my best to bring quality stories and poems to everyone, every week. I also work hard to read everything as professionally as I can. Then, I spend hours every Friday editing and adding in sound effects where appropriate.
I truly enjoy doing this, although my wife often wonders why I am spending so much of my retired time in my office/studio to bring all of this to the world.
I try to tell her that is a labor of love but she doesn’t understand that concept. To her, you are either working or you’re not. There is no such thing as a grey area where you are working but not making a steady salary. I told her once that I only make pennies on the dollar for all of the time and materials I have poured into this journey of writing and podcasting. She just shook her head and called me foolish.
If she only new how much I have invested in all of this. I would probably be berated harshly for being so foolish (to put it mildly). Shhh, don’t tell her. It’s a good thing she doesn’t read these newsletters.
The other reason I am doing this is for mental therapy. I need to keep busy or I would fade away into an early grave or go screaming into the night due to absolute boredom. It has a little to do with my OCD, which is part of my overall PTSD diagnosis from years ago. In other words, I am a flippin’ lunatic on most days with the need to be occupied with something constructive to do.
I also intersperse my daily routine with handyman chores around the house and helping with the backyard gardens. But there is only so much of that I can do, unless I want to remodel the house every six months.
I am getting better at pre-screening the stories and poems I select to read for everyone. I want this show to be rated G for everyone, including the wee ones who might enjoy a good bed time story now and again. Maybe give some busy parents a bit of time off once in a while.
I have no problem with being a surrogate, on air grandad for those who might miss that a little bit.
Here are this week’s stories and poems I selected to read. Please clap, highlight and or reply to them if you read something as this is as much for them as it is for myself.
From Beyond the Water Wall
Chapter 12/26 — The Shelter
Sleepless in Cuddly Land
Ember Burning: The Elementals Prologue
Some say you’re scarred by fire; others say you’re molded by it
Breakout: The Elementals Pt. 3
“She has no chance. I’m Amplified.” Meet Cascade
I Am a Descendant of Ireland
The home of my ancestors, my family’s stories and gift of story-telling, and the one I hope to see one day
The Alchemist
A prose poem
Life’s Dance
A poem
Skybound
That is all I have for everyone again this week. Please listen to the podcast and if you feel generous, donate to my efforts through the podcast at rss.com or my website at www.crann-na-beatha.com. Sláinte
Go raibh maith agat. Thank you for listening to the show today. I hope you enjoyed the variety of stories and poems again this week. Maybe one of them might touch your heart a little.
Disclosure for everyone; In order to read the complete stories and poems, you will need to sign up for a subscription in Medium. If I see a link by the author on one of the stories to allow everyone to read it, I will let you know in the newsletters.
Please return again next week for another episode of Crann na Beatha Stories and Poetry.
As a Seanchaí, I want to continue to delight you with a story or a poem that may bring you a smile or make you think a little after we part for the day.
As I say good bye this week, I wish to leave you with this Irish blessing as you go about your day. "Long-life and fair health to you - Saol fada agus breac-sláinte chugat." "Slán go fóill - goodbye for now". ( listen to the end of the show where I pronounce this for you).
T. Ó Domhnaill - Gaelic Seanchaí
Crann na beatha Stories and Poetry Newsletter