THE ANSWER by Larry Ali DeMinter

One Man’s Resolution to Never Reoffend after Twenty Years in Prison Can poetry really liberate a person’s perception? Yes, I like to think so. And offer you the following evidence from “Nemerov on Poetry.” In the fourth book of the Odyssey Homer tells the strange tell of Proteus and Menelaus, or the Protean Encounter. A man has a question about his way in the world. He already knows he answer, but it fails to satisfy him. So, at great inconvenience, hardship, and even peril, he consults a powerful and refractor spirit who tries to evade his question by turning into anything in the world. Then, when the spirit sees he cannot get free of the man, and only then, he answers the man’s question, not simply with a commonplace but with the same commonplace the man had been dissatisfied with before. Satisfied or not, however, the man now obeys the advice given to him... a foolish story? All the same, it is to be observed that Menelaus did get home. And it was a heroic thing to have hung onto Proteus through those terrifying changes and compelled him to be himself and answer up… a poet also has one great question, simple though it may take different forms indeed. And a poet gets the simple answer he might expect, the one the world grudgingly gives to anyone who ask such a question: The world is this way, not that way, and you ask for more than you will be given, which the poet, being scarcely more fool than his fellowmen, knew already. Ali the Poet gets it. The Prodigal Son is coming home; and after my own Protean Encounter have submitted to “the answer.” The world is the way, not that way. I add, a handy moral compass with principle-centered direction is why I won’t reoffend to return to prison. I know because I’ve used The Compass, proved its worth, and have promised myself to guide and be guided by it to the answer. Till next time, fam. Peace.

https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Broken-Wings-Larry-Deminter

The Art of Solitude by Lamar Hand

Being by yourself or alone can be constructive or destructive. One must differentiate between being Lonely and being alone because both carry different meanings. Loneliness is defined as, “an unpleasant social response to perceived social isolation.” Being alone also may be the dawn of a new beginning in your life. Therefore, perception about being alone must be reframed into developing ideas, goals, and managing emotions. Being alone should be a time of productivity, developing life strategies, and focusing on health whether it be mental or physical. Plan to set aside time for yourself to be alone during the day. You don’t need to be in a stationary spot, but put yourself in a place that is serene and has no interruptions. Take a long walk with a listening device maybe playing Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, or take a hike on forestry trail. Allow yourself time to de-stress, regroup and gather your thoughts. Also engaging in puzzles and challenging board games, which can help improve cognition and develop critical thinking skills. Read a biography and analyze how that person overcame obstacles and challenges to become successful and resilient. Solitude is also time to spiritually connect with your higher power whether it is religious or a holistic experience. Praying and meditating can help you develop inner peace. Being in social groups can exacerbate loneliness because it limits real connections with people; so, limit frequency to night clubs and partying but instead join a fitness group or a book club. The goal is to have a real connection with yourself and learn to appreciate who you are. This could be done at any time or any circumstance, whether it be being incarcerated, or at work, find peace and solitude. Others cannot fulfill your burden of loneliness, that is your walk.