BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
DROPPING THE STICK
Joe F. Stierheim
What causes a shift in one’s life, a shift of awareness, a new level of knowing? Is it dramatic, profound, intense and of great significance, or is it sometimes something that is simple and relatively insignificant?
“I wrote a poem—a haiku,” Tim Krupar, a friend of mine, said. He was obviously very proud of it. “Want to hear it?” he asked. I nodded and he recited:
“By dropping the stick
the carrot is abandoned.
The race is over.”
My ears immediately perked up. I knew that the poem had a particular significance (more…)
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
THE BATTLE FOR PEACE: A Book Review
Joe F. Stierheim
In the book The Battle for Peace by Zinni & Koltz, it tells about a man who went from a young lieutenant in Vietnam to Commander-in-Chief of US Central Command (CENTCOM). Retired Marine General Tony Zinni has viewed combat from every perspective. He has also had direct involvement in humanitarian efforts in nations suffering from the onset of disease and natural disasters as well as political strife. All of these experiences have led him to advocate (more…)
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
SADIE
Joe F. Stierheim
Sadie pulled the collar of her coat more closely around her neck. The day wasn’t warming as it progressed but instead was growing colder; there would probably be snow before evening. The odor of frying peppers and onions came drifting down the street and she followed its lure to the eatery and stood examining the menu posted by the door. She fingered the lone (more…)
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
THE REMINDER
JOE STIERHEIM
I have a basket of pinecones sitting on top of my file cabinet. The collection began through no particular intention of mine. One day shortly after I moved into my rooming unit, I was walking along the steppingstones that lead from the lot where I park my car when I noticed them. They and their brothers lay beneath the lone pine that grows there, exposed on the sparse grass of winter. Lying with them were the remains of cones from previous seasons—faded, broken, gnawed upon, some flattened underfoot and ground into the earth.
I picked up one that recently dropped, its unspoiled pattern of interlocked scales resembling plate armor, smooth and uniformly colored a glistening tan. I pictured what it would look like in a month or two if left
(more…)
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
AFTER THE SCOTTISH GAMES AT LIGONIER
JOSEPH F. STIERHEIM
Shadows deepen,
dark beneath the trees.
The day is over,
the bands gone.
Campers and autos
and people on foot;
gone.
Flashes of red and green and
yellow and blue of tartans;
gone.
Shouting; laughter;
joy of challenge;
victor and vanquished;
gone.
Still, in the glen,
the sound of the pipes.
ADDITIONAL READING:
—written by Joe F. Stierheim
“I must say, you certainly did give me a start.”
“Yes, Sire, I understand and I apologize. And, please, you must not blame your people. They are diligent in guarding you and after all … well, I am (more…)
Why Neckties?
Tags: Life, Culture, Reflections, Daily life, Thoughts, Latest post, Musings, Commentary, History, Fashion, Lifestyle, Contemplation, Knights, Men’s fashion, Medieval history, Medieval neckties, Necktie history, Knight’s stature symbol, Miasellaneous, Men's clothing styles
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
WHY NECKTIES?
Joe F. Stierheim
Men often comment on the willingness of women to follow the vagaries of fashion in their pursuit of approval by society. Men fail to recognize that they are guilty of the same thing in their meek and unthinking acceptance of an article of attire that is one of the (more…)