Slices of Life from Wisconsin (Paperback or Softback)

My Creative Mind came to me while driving around Wausau one day and wondering where it all came from, and where will it go, like great mysteries in life I shall never know. At that point I got off the road before I had an accident. I pulled in the parking lot of Pick N Save on Bridge St. and started writing. By that time I always had pen and paper with me. My memory isn't that good. This poem also won an Editor's Choice Award from Poetry.Com.

Aunt Laura's Wine Cellar also won Editor's Choice from Poetry.com. I started writing this one about an upcoming family reunion and it just sort of became Aunt Laura's. There really was an Aunt Laura and yes she really did have a wine cellar. This is one of those things that became a part of our family's history. I shared it at the reunion and it brought back a lot of great memories. It also seems I wasn't the only one to find an excuse to go downstairs to "get something" for Aunt Laura. Of course she knew what we were up to but we think she was flattered by the attention too. Then there was cousin Karen who said "hey wait a minute guys, I was never in Aunt Laura's wine cellar, where was it?" Well sorry Karen. It seems you were the only one never in it. Geeze that's really too bad. Aunt Laura has been passed on for some time now but oh what memories she left us with. Thank you Aunt Laura.

I was getting to know more about Ginger Hartman and realized how much she had endured in life and yet survived. My first poem was basically a response to her poems and life and to prove that "hey. I can write one too." Well I did and haven't stopped. Perhaps I never will. The first poem was entitled How the Hell Did You Do It? It's a bit of an unusual name but the words bare out an explanation. I wrote a few more about her, about her and me, about myself and then about many other people, places and things.

Without her poems I never would have tried to write even one. I owe my creative endeavors to Ginger and shall be forever grateful for her inspiration, support and encouragement. You never know what life will send your way but when it does just grab on with both hands and let life happen.

Life stopped me in my tracks with MS plus some help from evil John Barleycorn. Mr. John is gone now but the MS will always be with me. I've accepted it, adjusted and moved on in life with a new focus with new goals. Ginger's poetry inspired me and I'm sure you'll see why. Dianna became a good poet friend and her's is straight from the heart. I'm still amazed at where this all came from but like I say; Life Happens, enjoy the ride. Bill Krauter