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Rising Star In The Illinois World Of Poetry

Rising Star In The Illinois World Of Poetry The Lost American, Author Interview Vietnam War and Iraq, Author Interview Articles, Poems, For Authors and Poets Michael Lee Johnson's Poetry Sites Favorite Links Sample Poetry of Michael Lee Johnson

Official Poetry Site of Michael Lee Johnson, Poet, Itasca, Illinois

 

Purchase Poetry Books by Michael Lee Johnson At:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/promomanusa 

iUniverse-Purchase Book by Michael Lee Johnson Here:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000058168/The-Lost-American.aspx 

Purchase Poetry Books Amazon.com by Michael Lee Johnson At:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Lost-American-Exile-Freedom/dp/0595460917

Now over 56 Video's on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/poetrymanusa/videos

Michael Lee Johnson is a poet, freelance writer, photographer, and small business owner of custom imprinted promotional products and apparel:  www.promoman.us, from Itasca, Illinois.  He is heavily influenced by:  Carl Sandburg, Robert Frost, William Carlos Williams, Irving Layton, Herman Hesse, Krishnamurti, Charles Bukowski, Leonard Cohen, and Allen Ginsberg.

He has been published in over 750 different small press magazines in 25 different countries to this date.  He is a member of Poets & Writers, Inc; Directory of American Poets & Fictions Writers:  http://www.pw.org/directory/

He is a member of The Illinois Authors  Directory. Illinois Center for the Book:  www.illinoiscenterforthebook.org/

His new poetry chapbook, From Which Place the Morning Rises, and his new photo version of The Lost American: from Exile to Freedom and chapbooks are available at, http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/promomanusa; with a new chapbooks and Challenge of Night and Day, and Chicago Poems:  http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/challenge-of-night-and-day-and-chicago-poems-(night)/12443733.  The original version of The Lost American: from Exile to Freedom, (ISBN:  978-0-59546-091-5), can be found at:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000058168/The-Lost-American.aspx. 

Books can also be found on  Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.com. 

Michael Lee Johnson is publisher, editor of seven poetry, flash fiction sites, all presently open for submission:

http://itascaillinoispoetryman.moonfruit.com/#/home/4547417926

http://electricinthesun.blogspot.com/

http://birdsbywindow.blogspot.com/

www.poetriclegacy.mysite.com/

http://atendertouch.blogspot.com

http://wizardsofthewind.blogspot.com/

http://poetsinterviews.blogspot.com/

Send Poetry, Flash Fiction Submissions To:  promomanusa@gmail.com or writerillinois@yahoo.com.

He encourages both young and old writers.   Michael Lee Johnson literally dragged his poems around on his back for 10 years in exile, often without a home.  After 45 years his poetry is now hitting the poetry market place, he was born in 1947.   He especially encourages American and Canadian works, since these geographic areas represent his homelands.  Other works, in English will be reviewed with care.  We all need to leave some type of "LEGACY" behind our life journey, no matter how small, long or short that journey is.  This journey is a journal about the distance we travel, and the works we leave behind.  

Poet:  Michael Lee Johnson Now Has over 56 YouTube Links: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rogOfrZRiFo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EaXWVf4rz8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyFcA2YlflA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG6XHHDThDc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih5WJrjqQ18&feature=channel  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMmyjFKJ5fQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCUj5KOJ2Mo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWkXcR35_Os

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gjrTUrLLHE&feature=channel

 

Harvest Time  (V8)

A Métis lady, drunk
-
hands folded, blanketed as in prayer
over a large brown fruit basket
naked of fruit, no vine, no vineyard
inside
-approaches the Edmonton,
Alberta adoption agency.
There are only spirit gods
inside her empty purse.

Inside the basket, an infant,
restrained from life,
with a fruity winesap apple
wedged like a teaspoon
of autumn sun
inside its mouth.
A shallow pool of tears mounts
in his native baby blue eyes.
Snuffling, the mother offers
a slim smile, turns away.
She slithers voyeuristically
through near slum streets
and alleyways,
looking for drinking buddies
to share a hefty pint
of applejack wine.
 -2007-

(Revised 2012)

 

Charley Plays a Tune (V4)

Crippled, in Chicago,

with arthritis

and Alzheimer's,

in a dark rented room,

Charley plays

melancholic melodies

on a dust-filled

harmonica he

found abandoned

on a playground of sand

years ago by a handful of children

playing on monkey bars.

He hears bedlam when he buys fish at the local market

and the skeleton bones of the fish show through.

He lies on his back, riddled with pain,

pine cones fill his pillows and mattress;

praying to Jesus and rubbing his rosary beads

Charley blows tunes out his

celestial instrument

notes float through the open window

touch the nose of summer clouds.

Charley overtakes himself with grief

and is ecstatically alone.

Charley plays a solo tune.

-2010-

(Revised 2011)

 

BOOK REVIEW AND PURCHASE LOCATIONS

 Buy Now!

The Lost American:  From Exile to Freedom

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000058168/The-Lost-American.aspx

ISBN:   978-0-59546-091-5

Michael Lee Johnson's Books Available At Lulu.com!

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/promomanusa

http://stores.lulu.com/poetryboy  

Now Listed at Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-0303976-5247968?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=The+Lost+American%3A++From+Exile+to+Freedom

BOOK REVIEW

THE LOST AMERICAN:  FROM EXILE TO FREEDOM

Review by:  Carol Ann Marcus

Lost American: From Exile to Freedom, by rising star, Michael Lee Johnson, poet and freelance writer, is about one man's journey into exile to Canada over the Vietnam War many years ago, his struggle, his survival, his road to recovery and strength manifesting itself through his prose, poems, and personal convictions.  Mr. Michael Lee Johnson now lives in Illinois, United States. We feel sure you will delight in his work. Michael is a poet, painting his words with a tender and gentle touch, allowing them to create a broad landscape with just a few deceptively simple strokes. Take a short flight into freedom and read the adventures of an unusual life, touching the moments many with an average eye simply miss. Whether it be the agony of self-imposed exile for a cause; or a tender moment with lights flickering in the dark, the emotions come through.  Here are two sample poems: 

Bread Crumbs for Starving Birds

Stretched across the ravine,

the walking bridge

is covered with snow.

Steam lifts from the narrow river bed below.

The hand guided ropes

are glazed over with ice.

Raccoon tracks are pepper sprinkled

in front of me like virgin markers

leaving a fresh, first trail.

Once across, and safe,

I toss yellow bread crumbs

across white snow for starving birds.

-1996-

 

Flight of the Eagle

From the dawn, dusty skies

comes the time when

the eagle flies-

without thought,

without aid of wind,

like a kite detached without string,

the eagle in flight leaves no traces,

no trails, no roadways-

never a feather drops

out of the sky.

 -1981-

In the first poem, Bread Crumbs for Starving Birds Michael is at his best with nature, as usual.  Most of his poems engulf the diminutive moments that fleet from glances to seconds and back again, leaving a sense of mystery and majesty. 

In the second poem, Flight of the Eagle one senses imagination, freedom, the desire to be free on the wind, tortured no more, left alone to survive.  Here a degree of mysticism prevails, a depth of intestacy, a genius wording of simplicity, a cover from the dark.  This little piece is a true reflection of the inward tenacity of the authors will, a testimony one can trust.

On the weak side, a few early love poems reflecting the time of the author’s youth invade the book; but, ironically, through their simplicity, and acceptance of what they are, actually functions  in a strange kind of way.

The interview at the end of the book helps to personalize the author with the events of his life, Vietnam, the struggle and glory inbetween.  A gap is missing with the flow of events from the beginning to the end only documented by the date the poems were written.

Overall, for a first book of poetry, this is a rising star in the world of Illinois poetry.  Michael Lee Johnson is force to be reckoned with, a spirit that yells to be heard.  Search the internet, you will find his voice everywhere.

Book Review by:  Carol A. Marcus, Independent Writer and Book Reviewer, Editor  writerillinois@yahoo.com

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Attention: Publishers and Editors, and all others. If you need apparel (tee shirts, caps, jackets, uniforms, sweat shirts, etc) custom imprinted with you sites logo or name be sure to visit Michael Lee Johnson business website(s):

http://www.promoman.us

http://www.promowear.us/

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We also do a full line of advertising specialties i.e. mugs, cups, calendars with your site or company logo on them. Anything that needs to be custom imprinted on an item is what we do. Special rates for publishers and authors.

Advantage Marketing & Promotions: Ph/Fax: 630-467-1330. Toll Free: 1-877-850-3318.


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