Live Encounters Poetry & Writing May 2026
Storm In The Distance, poems by Ray Whitaker.
Storm In The Distance
She walks intently forward
unafraid of grey’s lack of definition
fearing, respecting only the flickering red
not minding the temporary, wavering oranges
disregarding the black…
knowing there is still something green somewhere.
Even tho something is burning
out there
perhaps in a county far away
where strife makes humanity cry.
White snow refreshes everything.
Water
The headwaters of the Rio Grande are roaring
full of snowmelt, poured down from high peaks
rivulets filling rocky watercourse ways,
those filing small gorges in the high rocks
all of it pouring over cliffside
a waterfall white with beauty
falling two hundred fifty feet
leaving a wee rainbow of mist in the air.
The Rio Grande flows it’s way to Texas
and here the headwaters are angry
crossing this now is impossible
splashes and spray from rocks,
and a noisy roar as the churning water collides.
Even Brother Moose, daring to cross, has trouble.
The water could be the trouble with the constructs of men
anger, trepidation, buffeting, thundering
the mountain Gods voice their opinions
with lightening, strong winds tug at trees.
Some Native American tribes say we are the water
going well beyond a wet
beyond a feel of humidity
to the forests, the trees, the animals
and even when we are laid to rest in the earth
the flow continues as the earth gladly accepts us
everything returns in a cycle as old as time
and ends up in the rainwater falling.
Scramble
The rush to completion
like a weighted option
not like a leisurely pace up the path
this urgency exists
because it is Life,
a birth
umbilicus cut,
newness of experience.
Not sure of the proper english word
for this, this determined rush
like to save a Life
in an Emergency Room
Nurses Respiratory Therapists, Docs
wading in the crowded space around the gurney
intention to correct malady
relieving infirmity, life threatening instances
requiring highly educated folk
focused without hesitation.
No confusion.
Failing not allowed in this moment.
Again, not merely in a alpha male’s way
or even the dominant female approach
not that a’tall
this scramble up a sheer rock face
repelling ropes in place
determined to safely make the space
Brevity intention determination
Woven and laced.
© Ray Whitaker
Ray Whitaker has six books published, and two chapbooks. His work has been published in fourteen different countries. He’s working on two new manuscripts now. Ray was a Delegate to the 2024 and 2025 Writer’s International Panorama Festival. He participates regularly with several zoom poetic events worldwide. Among them, he has been spotlighted on a US National Poetry broadcast from Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio In April, ’24; and also an International Poetry Recital hosted by The Fertile Minds out of India this past April 19th, 2024. In July od 2025, he has been the featured poet reading in David Leo Sirois’ Spoken Word Online, associated with Spoken Word Paris; and a featured poet for the Chicauga Arts Festival, in Plamer Lake, Colorado He is Moderator for Michael Lee Johnson’s FB “My Voice,Your Words- Poetry In Action” page; and an Editor for Masticadores Canada Journal.