Lynn and John jump into the lives we lead in terms of risk and change. If we “ain’t leaping” as John’s song goes, are we dead? Sometimes we have no choice but to take that leap—life throws us a fast one, we have to move or quit or begin again. Our songs and poems and stories delve into different kinds of leaps with different results. Is a leap the same as a jump? One thing is constant: don’t fly too close to the sun. On the other hand, be sure to mix it up: stagnation breeds nothing but negativity or cynicism or the dreaded boredom. We wish you dazzling leaps and hope your net will always appear!
Teasers by John Burroughs and Jane Francis
Song 1: "The Edge” (composed and sung by JVM)
Poem 1: “Why We Bought a Horse” by Mark Sanders. Mark lives in Nacogdoches, TX and teaches at Stephen F. Austin University. https://sandersme1.wixsite.com/mark-sanders/
Short Story: excerpt from “David’s Harvest” by Lynn C. Miller from her collection The Lost Archive (April, 2023, U of Wisconsin Press). https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/6155.htm
Feed the Cat Break: : intro to "Try It Again" (by Dave Merrill w/ jvm on bass, 1984)
Poem 2: Coronary Artery Bypass Graft by Kelly Yenser, from his collection in process, “So Far Undone.” He has two poetry collections with UNM Press: Walking Uphill at Noon and The News as Usual.
Song 2: "This New Song" (Dave Merrill, 2006)
Episode artwork by Lynda Miller
Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff
Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY. Produced at The Creek Studio
NEXT UP: The Unruly Muse #30: “Near Misses”