At the local Quaker Meeting in Bromley, the topic of how to deal with the all the challenges we are facing in the world today, injustice, conflict, climate catastrophe, etc. had been percolating in several meetings and at some point I volunteered to facilitate a discussion group on the topic. The session was rescheduled, and, …
Author Archives: samirmalak
The Arc of the Sun
The arc of the SunOn rising, seen,In the wave of flowersOpening their armsTo receive the bounty.…others,In shadow of the arcClosed still. The arc of the Sun,On setting, dusking,Is seen, in the waveOf flowers, closing,As the Sun’s arc Settles, on the other sideThe flowers,Tucking in petals,Settling in,For the night. The arc of the SunIs seen in …
Emergence
Falling, falling, falling . . . ill. illing,Focus fades Slowing slowing, downStriving to tear through itStopping StoppedWithout willingHaltedWithout willingWilling, wanting, yearning to keep going I had a rhythm, shaping my daysComfortably, uncomfortable,With the ebb and tide of days , eve to morn to eveEven with the work weighingWeighing downAnd the pressuresYearning to do the right thing and …
Expeditionary Force – story so far…
About: below is a summary of a series of Live Action Role Playing games that I ran as part of Furthest Frontiers beginning in 2022. They are set in Craig Alanson‘s Expeditionary Force book series, beginning with the novel, Columbus Day. Columbus Day – The Days After (Springvasion – Sun 28 Aug 2022): Shortly after …
The Shape of Loss
Dedication: To my father, Bakhit Shenoudy Abdel-Malak (1939-2025) To Julie Kertesz (1934-2025), dear friend, mentor and grandmother from another To Heather Ahlbin, my Bank of America mentor and surviving granddaughter of Toastmasters Past International President, Bob Blakeley (1922-2017) The Shape of Loss What is the shape of loss? Is it the hole you in your …
Riding the Wave
This poem was inspired by the confluence of two things, the first was a response a friend made to me when I was expressing my frustration with the manifestation of apocalypse and how it seemed so hard to thrive in these conditions: “We’ve got to learn to ride the wave.” The second thing was coming …
Coffee is Spelled with a K
When I recently went back to re-read Roger Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber, it is so clear to me how much he inspired me, that this one short piece that I wrote feels more like fan fiction than anything original. Still, I love it and I hope you enjoy it as well. Coffee is Spelled with …
Homage to Jasmine – Bee Prayers
Homage to Jasmine – Bee Prayers Four forelegs fondleThe bud that’s not floweredThe stem, certain to holdThe source of the nectarTo feed the family Four foreleg fondleA pose of prayerFlower the flowerFor a harvest of pollenThat we might bake the nectarIn hexagon forgesTo feed the family Four forelegs fondleBrought here by our danceDirecting and diviningWhere …
Drinking the Sky
Drinking the Sky Raindrops splash into my cupI drink good morning coffeeLook up into the skyand ponder the journey of a raindrop From the depths of the ocean,Twisted by tides,Pulled to and fro by the moon,Rising, surfacing, steaming Steaming from the scathing scold of the sunThe sun, a fiery furnace forging chemical concoctionsTwo parts H, …
Scaffolding
Scaffolding PointingThe chimney needs pointing andScaffolding scrambles up the sides of the buildingMaking way for the chimey pointingRusted feet stand in the wayIn my wayTo my gardenAnd my peace PointingThe chimney is not well,Joints sore, brickwork groaningMoaning for mortar, to be filled and shored up PointingThe chimney needs pointing andScaffolding scrambles up the sides of …
Imagine a new me 