As a teenager, Michael Lane only wrote when necessary. He had nothing against writing: he was – and is – an avid reader. He simply saw no need to write outside of satisfying his academic requirements. That was before he spent time with poetry. Poetry became his first creative writing love. They began dating in high school and she remains his longest running love affair. The idea for Mortal Thoughts — not in name but in body — began taking shape for him in November 2015. Michael – like so many others – wade in the erratic waters of intellect and mortality and all of the precious cognitive and ethereal lakes, rivers and streams that congregate between. Michael has been blessed to hone those temporal thoughts into poetry over the years, an extraordinary written art form that for whatever reason arises in him during his most mystifying times. Why does poetry so readily lend itself to the essence of transcendental deliberations, stoic cogitations and silly musings? The riposte is as simple as dreaming and as complex as mud. It does. For Michael, the answer begins and ends there, unveiling the journey as in the title, “Mortal Thoughts.”

Staring skyward at night-light / flickering stars yawn and wink / royal blue canvas eclipses daylight / moonlight on my bedspread plays. (1-4)

Mortal Thoughts is a culmination of decades of intimate conversations the two have shared. The topics range from love to hate, hope and despair. There is social commentary, introspection, nature, observations, and more. Some of the poems may come at you in a whisper. Others scream in your face. Most of his poetry requests a brief audience to share an interesting insight or revelation. Michael hopes that you will enjoy reading the poems in Mortal Thoughts as much as he enjoyed writing them.