I remember writing this before my Father died in October of 2020. Once, he told me that I should write simpler things. Things people could understand. Nah. Fuck that. People get it, or they don’t. Words come out how they do.
Read on. It’s good for the Brain.
Matt
and yet
I did
The World is a large view-
but it pales in comparison to what a child feels for their Mother.
With Love
Happy Mother’s Day
-Matt
A few days ago,
I was sweeping debris
out of the back of my truck,
and it hit me.
I was sad, really, really sad.
I watched as sand and tiny pieces of branches
fell to our dirt driveway.
“I miss you, Dad.”
It wasn’t until a few hours later
when I realized it was his birthday.
-M. Taggart
There’s one thing
we all have in common
Whether we like it or not
God
-M. Taggart
I’m no Mark Twain
But I am Matt Taggart
Here’s some snow to look at
Problem is
I took this photo during the Eclipse
It’s a bit like listening to water drop
from the faucet when you want to write
and you can’t think because you hear it
You look back, and snow is there
And you remember about how Twain
tried to pull the trigger
Instead he wrote about a river and a boy
So there’s some snow for you to look at
-M. Taggart
Photo taken 4/8/24
We saw what we saw and we don’t doubt. The doubters are left forcibly chasing footsteps, their own, others, and we don’t. There’s no need. Their emptiness is theirs and they’ve no way out, until the tree finds them at the end of a long walk, nearing the spring, where their shoes are removed, from one way or another, and the fingers type the toes a narrative to see. The tree, faces all around, might help.
-M. Taggart
Gavin is having a bit of an issue with his writing teacher.
It’s troubling him. He feels dread when thinking bout this class. Apparently his teacher yells.
His teacher is on him about sentence structure and how to create an introduction, followed by chapters, followed by chapters, followed by perfect mR and Msr’s. Eh.
Followed by a conclusion.
Gavin has an imagination abundant in, Everything. He’s brave. He’s stealth mixed with clever-wit. He speaks with great annunciation and kindness. Gavin is at his best when he’s allowed, well, to be himself. He’s not being allowed to use his imagination. Thank God he told us about how he’s feeling and how crushed his writing and spirit has become.
Thankfully, I may, or may not, know at least one thing about writing 🙂
I will not let a school setting destroy the Gift that Gavin has within his mind, heart, and soul. I’m not saying his teacher is a bad teacher- not at all. But I know when he needs me to jump in and help bring the joy back to where it belongs.
Writing should fill his soul. Not empty it.
Imma teach him to break the rules, just a little bit, to help them come to a compromise of minds lol
I, for one, would much rather read about a lion riding on the back of a dragon who contains the ability to speak in dragon tongue and announce when to unleash the raging fire!!! Rather than, the cat jumped over the mouse. The mouse ran. So fast. So. So fast.
I don’t even care if his 8-year-old-self misspells each word: bring on that dragon raging fire with the lion standing on it’s back yielding tangled tongues that shred the thunderous skies!!
I can’t wait for Gavin to get home.
Cheers everyone!!!
Matt
🙂
ps- He’s 8. He’s already written two books. Self illustrated too! His teacher hasn’t seen them. We should fix that.
Life is overflowing
And we don’t know
what’s at the bottom
-M. Taggart
(Photo taken March 7th, 2024. North, Western Mass.)
Hey everyone!
My friend’s surgery was a success and he’s currently recovering very well. I asked him if he wanted to read the post that I wrote (on here) about him. He did want to, and has read it. He asked that I let all of you know that he appreciated the words, and that he says ‘Thank you’ to all of you who took time to send thoughts and prayers his way.
We’re very thankful that he’s in recovery-mode and that the open heart surgery was such a success. When Gavin and I finally got to the ICU unit and saw him, he was sitting up in a chair and waiting for us to walk into his room. At first they wouldn’t let Gavin in, but that didn’t last long lol. We had a friendly discussion with the ‘guard’ and it was determined that Gavin could go into the room. And then, because this is how the universe seems to work, within an hour they informed everyone that he was recovering so well that they were moving him to a different unit and boom- there were five of us all around him telling stories.
I don’t think it could have gone any better. And he deserves this- to have gone well. He lives his life with such energy (works with children) and delivers such a great point of view on life…he’s a special man and we love him. Simply put, it was great to hear his voice.
On a comic note, Gavin took over the room for a little while. He was creating jokes on the fly.
I couldn’t imagine Gavin not having been included on this trip. He’s a better traveler than most adults that I know 😉 He even brought the transformer that my friend had given him. He told my friend that he planned on giving him one of his own transformers when they visit us this summer.
My friend is on pace to be back home this Saturday, or Sunday. They had him up and walking yesterday.
Thank you, again, everyone. Being able to express what’s happening on ‘here’ has been helpful and healing. I wanted to give the update, and share the positive news.
-Matt
(I refrain from using ‘his’ name because he’s kept this emergency very quiet and I respect his wish to do so. Even though he is very well known in his community- very few people are aware of what’s happened to this point.)
My childhood best-friend is in the hospital. He needs emergency heart surgery. This is sudden, and unexpected. He doesn’t smoke. Doesn’t drink. Doesn’t touch drugs. He’s a runner. He’s one of the most healthy people that I know.
Gavin has asked to make the four hour drive with me. He wants to see him. At just eight-years-old Gavin has shown signs of deep empathy. When I told him that my friend was in the hospital, Gavin pointed at the transformer that was sitting on top of his Nintendo Switch and said, “He gave me that.” Gavin then lowered his head and took a moment to think. I shut the door and left him alone with his thoughts.
So, we’ll head to Massachusetts.
Please send thoughts and prayers to my friend. We still have front porches to sit on.
He’s the kind of person who’ll let me talk about a grain of sand and whether or not it’s conscious of me. Not too many people want to talk about sand.
-Matt
I purposely left ‘his’ name out of this. That’s what he’d want. Until I run it by him and he has time to think about it lol…that’s just how he is and I love that about him.
mtaggartwriter 