Society is bracing itself once again for the onslaught of business created by the least celebrated occasion of the year… Fathers Day!
I am sitting in the shade and scattered light of a the garden outside my home that my neighbor ‘Ivan’ has annointed ‘The Garden of Evil’
I can appreciate this holiday if for no other reason it is at the very least a reminder that I had a father and that it wasn’t like I was told as a kid…
“You weren’t born… you were jerked on a stump and hatched in the sun.”
There is no calculation that I have seen That can determine the reactions of People who do not get their own way.
If you want to know who are dealing with… just say no to them. Say no without explanation for maximum Strange.
Things are clearer in the rearview.
Objects are closer than they appear.
It’s all in how you catch the lights.
And treat those myths of yesteryear.
They say that memories are faulty.
As for me I can’t be sure.
I forgot so much from bygone days.
My past is clean and pure.
The devil is in the details.
It’s calm at eye of storm.
I’m not looking in the rearview.
Right now is true to form.
I’d been searching for the answers… When finally she came along.
Preforming miracles, curing cancers. Giving music to the song.
She taught and gave directions. Even when I didn’t ask.
She let me know my fortune. In her sunshine I could bask.
She showed me all my foibles. And how little I evolved.
I felt criminally unworthy, so I left her. Mystery solved.
It might sound like complaining. I assure you that I’m not.
It is more like humble bragging. Which I tend to do alot.
It’s not true that I can’t help myself. It’s more like I never tried.
Could be from too much attention. Or to little… I can’t decide.
I used to be a victim. Now I just be a volunteer.
My head is firmly up my ass. And I can’t see to clear.
Writing myth in the first person. To see why and who I could love.
It’s not I’ll ever understand, but I try… Push comes to shove.
I left them in the valley.
They didn’t move away.
They would live and some did die there.
I knew I couldn’t stay.
It’s sometimes just a feeling.
Not unlike you don’t belong.
Nothing that needs put into words.
Like a tune you hum along.
Now I’m older and I miss them.
Some will pick up when I call.
When we learn what is important.
If we dare to stand that tall.
I no longer wish for things.
Such frivolity has passed.
It is I fear the bane of youth.
That in life and time won’t last.
That is if we’re being honest.
Accepting fully that, as is.
She can keep it if she wants.
And he can have what’s his.
The rains have left for sunshine.
It is cool for late in May.
Her voice it rings in my head.
Like it did all yesterday.
Some days are better than others.
Some nights are cool and still.
And if I had my druthers.
There’d be peace amidst tranquil.
NEW BOOK RELEASE!
Look Them in the Eyes
Dennis Mantin. Friesen Press, 2023
There are thirty-two ways to write a story, and I’ve used every one, but there is only one plot—things are not as they seem.
Jim Thompson
Following the birth of his daughter, Jackie, middle-aged Zach MacIver is determined to stop what he terms “intergenerational transmission of family dysfunction” from plaguing his family. Over the course of two years, from the time Jackie is eight until she turns ten, Zach recounts his life experiences to her while attempting to navigate the obstacles created by her mother, Tina, who is experiencing her own version of intergenerational transmission of family dysfunction. The story begins during the COVID-19 pandemic when the world and its inhabitants face mounting daily trials and life-altering decisions. From there the narrative proceeds in a non-linear fashion as Zach recounts the roots of his own dysfunction and how his love for his daughter and his desire to be a good father forced him to face his difficulties head on. American author Jim Thompson once wrote, “There are thirty-two ways to write a story, and I’ve used every one, but there is only one plot—things are not as they seem.” This story is a great reminder of that.
Available now to purchase in eBook, paper, and hardcover from Amazon, Friesen Press, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Google Play, and Kobo.
ACCOLADES
Book I wish I could read again for the first time!
Dennis Mantin’s clean characterisation breathes life into the narrative, the realistic portrayal adds to the reader’s understanding of the book’s profound messages on life and people. What’s compelling about the novel is the the Protagonist’s journey, his perspective on “intergenerational transmission of family dysfunction” and how he’s determined to stop that from plaguing his family. The story is neatly told from Zach’s( the protagonist) perspective. It’s a non linear narrative with characters virtually jumping off the page. The characters, their presentation and Mantin’s unique writing style offer readers a fresh and deep perspective.
—Anuradha Basu, Amazon, November 21, 2023
“I love Vietnamese culture. Proud, loyal, family… “
She told me, “Your words and your heart don’t match.”
I told her, “You don’t understand half of what I’m saying, so…. it might be just miscommunication.”
I knew she might have a point.
Maybe my words were just posturing
My actions are the tell
Ah, so much to learn…
Dennis Mantin 
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