The Hermit Empire

I call this piece "The Hermit Empire" in honor of a former student, turned master poet. His name is Michael Fotheringham, a proud member of the Fotheringham Clan, all of whom are poets and writers of renown. This mousterpiece could also have been called "The Best of Both Worlds" or "Having Your Cake and Eating it Too" since I know a piece of Michael's heart still resides in Utah where he was born and where his family has a pretty cool-looking mountain retreat, but who wouldn't want to live in San Diego where the weather is about as good as it gets--year-round! I know: The snow would melt off of the cabin's roof in San Diego, but this is a magical cabin, so I have made it the centerpiece of the Hermit's Empire.

Michael is a most prolific poet, who has coined his own poetic medium: The "Haiku Sestina" or as Michael calls it, "The Six-Pack." We were sort of participating in a Haiku contest a while back, sponsored by Michael's brother, Mark (a.k.a. "Yarstruuli"). A haiku is a three line poetic form that originated in Japan more than a thousand years ago, consisting of 17 syllables: 5 in the first line, 7 in the second line and 5 in the third. Well, Michael's entries maintained the syllabic pattern of a seventeen-syllable haiku, but each of his submissions consisted of six haiku stanzas, transforming the single-image simplicity of a haiku (the most traditional of which are single images about nature) into a narrative style of poetry where the six stanzas either tell a story or create a lyrical portrait.

Michael has invited me on a couple of occasions to try his original poetic form, and I suppose I will one of these days, but I doubt that any of my attempts could surpass the artistry of the form's creator, not to mention the equally amazing talent of Michael's brother, Mark. It's pretty clear to me that, in both cases, the power of their pen surpasses that of their old teacher, which I take as a compliment, by the way, because the highest accolade that any teacher could hope to achieve is to have had the privilege of teaching students who one day surpass the teacher in talent and skill. Such is the circle of life, and down the road a piece, Michael may also know the joy of encouraging a young writer somewhere, who one day may surpass Michael's artistry--or at least experience the same passion for words that Michael has cultivated--and so, the beat goes on, just one of the many reasons that life is always good....Well done, Michael!