Category: Poetry

Poetry became part of my life decades ago. My first memory involving poetry: a creative writing class from seventh grade. Poetry and writing remain crucial parts of my life to this day.

I find my inspiration in the commonplace, in everyday experiences, in current events. My daily meditations grant me a great deal of clarity, which comes in verse.

Currently, I’m focusing short-form poetry. Predominantly I’m writing haiku/senryu with some tanka. For the past few years, I’ve worked to post a haiku daily. Though not perfect, I’ve been able to stick to that schedule pretty well. Some longer forms come to me, too, though mostly in free-verse.

Fears

Carl Setzer

Paralyze my forward motion.
Continuously reviewed; my past.
Parse, tear apart, drift away my focus
From now, here.

Unwilling to be wrong?
High standards gone awry?
Or just internal schadenfreude?
A delight in my own misery.

Always my past,
Drug forth, tortured.
Each fault extracted
My anguish revisited;
Reborn.

Hallelujah

Carl Setzer

The sun rose with filtered light,
Dawn’s still stronger than the night
Hope arises, born anew
Even when the skies aren’t blue.
Though we shake, we know the truth
That fear won’t win, not absolute.
Redemption frees us from our doubt.
Then our silence becomes a shout.
Hallelujah.