2016-07-13 11:30
Photo courtesy Maurice MullerIntroduction by Ted Kooser: We hope that you will visit, from time to time, our archived columns at www.americanlifeinpoetry.org, where you may find other poems… Read More
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2016-07-08 13:16
If I could pick one writer whose writing “voice” and persona I would most like to emulate, a top contender would have to be Jean Kerr. It’s entirely possible that you&rsquo&hell…Read More
2016-07-06 11:30
Photo courtesy Morgan Sessions“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”—Henri J.M. Nouwen Read More
2016-07-01 11:30
Photo courtesy Valentin SabauIt seems like it should be simple to be kind. After all, to be kind, we don’t have to perform extraordinary acts, give away large sums of money, or make hu… Read More
2016-06-29 11:30
Photo courtesy James DeMersIntroduction by Ted Kooser: How I love poems in which there is evidence of a poet paying close attention to the world about him. Here Angelo Giambra, who lives in… Read More
2016-06-24 11:30
Welcome to summer reruns! About once a month, I’ll be sharing a post from the archives. I hope you enjoy this one, from 2011. “It does not matter how slowly you go so long as yo… Read More
2016-06-22 11:30
Photo courtesy Tim Marshall“How desirable is a proper balance between motion and rest, and how difficult it is at times for us to achieve it. Alternation lies everywhere in nature. Eve… Read More
2016-06-17 11:30
Image courtesy Laure FerlitaIt’s been nearly a week since the unthinkable events at Pulse in Orlando, just an hour and a half from where I live. It feels pointless to write about happi… Read More
2016-06-15 11:30
Introduction by Ted Kooser: Descriptive poetry depends for its effects in part upon the vividness of details. Here the Virginia poet, Claudia Emerson, describes the type of old building… Read More
2016-06-10 11:30
Tell me something. When was the last time you made a list of fun things to do…and actually did them? Don’t look now, but it’s already June (how?!)—the Friday night o… Read More
2016-06-08 11:30
“‘Kindness’ covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others… Read More
2016-06-03 11:30
At first, I was going to title this post “Happy Little Things: Harvest,” and write about the simple pleasure of gardening. But as I put words on paper, my thoughts took me in an… Read More
2016-06-01 11:30
Introduction by Ted Kooser: I’ve always been fascinated by miniatures of all kinds, the little glass animals I played with as a boy, electric trains, dollhouses, and I think it’s… Read More
2016-05-27 13:47
Photo courtesy windyschneiderAfter two weeks of reno chaos, I’m finally able to leave my house for more than the absolute essentials. Yesterday I indulged in the simple pleasure of my… Read More
2016-05-25 11:30
Photo courtesy Karin Henseler“Unlike bad times, however, good times aren’t bullies that break down the doors and barge in. Joy and pleasure are, instead, excellent guests and, as… Read More
2016-05-20 11:30
“Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.”—Guillaume AppollinaireJust for fun, I arranged this alphabetical list of 26 things th… Read More
2016-05-18 11:30
Photo courtesy Randy StoreyIntroduction by Ted Kooser: After my mother died, her best friend told me that they were so close that they could sit together in a room for an hour and neither fe… Read More
2016-05-13 11:30
For the past few days, our master bathroom has been torn up while we have our shower and tub surround rebuilt, and a new floor laid. As these things do, what started with a few tiles coming… Read More
2016-05-11 12:30
Photo courtesy Dikaseva “The happiness of most people is not ruined by great catastrophes or fatal errors, but by the repetition of slowly destructive little things.”—… Read More
2016-05-09 18:32
What really makes us happy and healthy? According to the longest study of human development that’s ever been done, it’s not money, not fame, and not a high-powered career. A… Read More
2016-05-04 12:00
Introduction by Ted Kooser: Early each spring, Nebraska hosts, along a section of the Platte River, several hundred thousand sandhill cranes. It's something I wish everyone could see. Don We… Read More
2016-05-02 17:05
Photo courtesy Ryan McGuireWha…?I can’t say I’ve ever been a big fan of stress. That is, until I read The Upside of Stress: Why Stress is Good for You, and How to Get Good… Read More
2016-04-27 12:00
“Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn’t stop to enjoy it.”—William Feather Read More
2016-04-25 18:01
I like getting out of bed in the morning. Most days, I look forward to what I have planned—I always have plenty to do, but I enjoy most of it. I’m currently healthy and facing no… Read More
2016-04-20 11:30
Introduction by Ted Kooser: Poetry has often served to remind us to look more closely, to see what may have been at first overlooked. Today’s poem is by Kaelum Poulson of Washington st… Read More
2016-04-18 19:57
When last we left our heroines, they were meandering through the Everglades…We rejoin them as make their way to their final destination, Key West. We hoped to see some Key deer o… Read More
2016-04-15 14:48
Anhinga in Shark ValleyWithout being able to put into words why—other than “I want to see this before it’s gone”—I’ve wanted to visit the Florida Everglad… Read More
2016-04-13 11:30
“Gratitude is the only thing that will ever make you happy. Without a doubt, if you can master the art of feeling and expressing gratitude on a daily basis, then you will have mastered… Read More
2016-04-11 18:17
I had a visitor last week—my friend Kerri—and we took to the road, heading to Sanibel and Captiva Islands, then meandering through the Everglades, all the way down to Key West. W… Read More
2016-04-06 11:30
Photo courtesy fancycrave1Introduction by Ted Kooser: I suspect that one thing some people have against reading poems is that they are so often so serious, so devoid of joy, as if we poets s… Read More
2016-04-01 12:03
Regular readers of Catching Happiness know I post a poem here approximately every other Wednesday. I share this simple pleasure in an effort to show that poetry doesn’t have to be the… Read More
2016-03-30 11:30
“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and… Read More
2016-03-25 19:18
The real-life dream horseWhen I was growing up, there seemed to be no chance that I would ever have a horse. Southern California was not the place to own a horse unless you were wealthy, and… Read More
2016-03-23 11:30
Photo courtesy Bianca MentilIntroduction by Ted Kooser: When we’re feeling sorry for ourselves it can help to make a list of things for which we’re grateful. Here is a fine poem… Read More
2016-03-18 18:07
Image courtesy Design FeedAfter returning from DC last week, I promptly came down with a cold, and Tank developed a hoof abcess that has required hours of soaking, poulticing, and wrapping… Read More
2016-03-16 11:30
“When I grow weary of what’s undone or anxious about what’s to come, I remind myself that I am not the maker or the order taker in this life. I am this life, and it is unfi… Read More
2016-03-11 15:30
Last week, my husband and I took a quick trip to the Washington, D.C. area to house/pet sit for his sister. We’ve been to DC a couple of times so we were relaxed about our sightseeing… Read More
2016-03-09 12:30
Photo courtesy Christian TrickIntroduction by Ted Kooser: Nancy Willard, who lives in New York state, is one of my favorite poets, a writer with a marvelous gift for fresh description and a… Read More
2016-03-02 12:30
Photo courtesy Stefan Gustafsson“Men spend their lives in anticipations, in determining to be vastly happy at some period when they have time. But the present time has one advantage ov… Read More
2016-02-29 12:49
Today is a gift. An extra day in the course of your year, a day that 2015 didn’t have, and 2017 won’t have. It sounds like a dream come true, doesn’t it? If you’re li… Read More
2016-02-26 14:54
You’ve probably heard the term “income streams,” referring to various ways to bring in money. Whether it’s salary, interest or dividends, selling items on eBay or Cra… Read More
2016-02-24 12:30
Photo courtesy Jeff JonesIntroduction by Ted Kooser: In this short poem by Vermont writer Jean L. Connor, an older speaker challenges the perception that people her age have lost their vital… Read More
2016-02-19 15:31
Photo courtesy Gerd AltmannI did something stupid this week. There was no way I could blame anyone else, no way I could weasel out of responsibility for it, or avoid looking my failure strai… Read More
2016-02-17 12:30
Image via DesignfeedNote: Today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day. Let’s celebrate! Read More
2016-02-12 12:30
If you love to read, libraries and bookstores give your soul a thrill. If you’re an artist, an art or office supply store sets all your senses tingling. And if you love horses and ridi… Read More
2016-02-10 12:30
Photo courtesy Mirko DelcaldoIntroduction by Ted Kooser: The first two lines of this poem pose a question many of us may have thought about: how does snow make silence even more silent? And… Read More
2016-02-09 15:03
Right about now, many people are giving up on their New Year’s resolutions and falling back into their old ways. Their energy and enthusiasm is waning as January turns into February, a… Read More
2016-02-03 12:30
Photo courtesy krrass“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is w… Read More
2016-01-29 14:44
We’ve nearly made it through the first month of a brand new year. Have you been thinking about your goals and dreams for 2016? I have, and I’ve begun working towards making them… Read More
2016-01-27 13:00
Photo courtesy Ulrike MaiIntroduction by Ted Kooser: This column is more than ten years old and I've finally gotten around to trying a little origami! Here's a poem about that, and about a g… Read More
2016-01-25 20:43
Since I decided not to participate in any reading challenges this year, I’ve been having so much fun! Instead of considering whether or not a book falls into any of my chosen challenge… Read More
2016-01-20 13:00
Photo courtesy Maria Victoria Heredia Reyes“The absence of unhappiness is not happiness.”—Peter Jones, How to Do Everything and Be Happy Read More
2016-01-18 19:10
The start of a new year often finds us resolving to simplify our lives, particularly if we’ve just come through a whirlwind of holiday activity. Magazine articles and blog posts promis… Read More
2016-01-13 13:30
Photo courtesy Greg RakozyIntroduction by Ted Kooser: I’m well into my seventies, and I warm to simple, peaceful scenes. Here’s a fine love poem by Patricia Traxler, a Kansas poe… Read More
2016-01-11 20:20
Back in 2010, I wrote a blog post about Barbara Sher’s book Refuse to Choose, and my enthusiasm for my “six-year calendar of happiness.”Thrilled to understand myself better… Read More
2016-01-06 12:30
“Intentions and goals are tools for liberation. But when we use goal-chasing like a hammer, it can beat up on our self-esteem, relationships, and creativity.“The foundation of a… Read More
2016-01-04 18:20
Image courtesy Alexas FotosThe Christmas tree is packed away, much to Prudy’s disappointment (broken ornament count: 3), and we finally, finally have some cool weather set to stick aro… Read More
2015-12-30 12:30
Photo courtesy winterdoveIntroduction by Ted Kooser: Here’s a New Year’s poem by Judy Ray, who lives and writes in Tucson. I like the way that common phrase, “the turning o… Read More
2015-12-28 12:30
It seems like only yesterday that I was contemplating the fresh new calendar year of 2015, and yet here we are only four days away from 2016. In looking back over the year, I notice that I&r&hell…Read More
2015-12-23 12:30
“This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, jo… Read More
2015-12-18 12:30
Photo courtesy Laure FerlitaThis originally ran in December of 2011. The thoughts expressed are once again on my mind, so instead of reinventing the wheel, I’m reposting it. I’m… Read More
2015-12-16 12:30
Introduction by Ted Kooser: The first winter my wife and I lived in the country, I brought a wild juniper tree in from our pasture and prepared to decorate it for Christmas. As it began to w… Read More
2015-12-11 15:46
Trying not to take for granted the beautiful place I live—despite the less-than-ideal climate, I do love to take a walk in the morning. The pictures in this post come from two differen… Read More
2015-12-09 12:30
Photo courtesy Thomas Muhl“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”… Read More
2015-12-04 16:23
If the year were a car, someone just stepped on the gas. We’re accelerating—streaking down the road toward the end of the race that is 2015.How did that happen? Wasn’t it j… Read More
2015-12-02 12:30
Introduction by Ted Kooser: This may be the only poem ever written in which a person claps the mud from a pair of shoes! Michael McFee’s poetry is just that original, in all of his boo… Read More
2015-11-25 15:14
Photo courtesy Mayur Gala“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”—William Art… Read More
2015-11-23 20:50
Mary GrandPreOn Saturday afternoon, Laure Ferlita and I attended a talk by illustrator Mary GrandPre sponsored by our local arts council. Though GrandPre is probably best known for her illus… Read More
2015-11-20 15:52
After six years, it’s time for a change. This blog was never intended to make money (except in my wildest fantasies), and good thing, too, because it’s been a crashing failure in… Read More
2015-11-18 12:30
“For most of life, nothing wonderful happens. If you don’t enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the chance… Read More
2015-11-13 13:00
It’s funny how things start. In yoga class, the teacher offered us a dab of a stress-relieving essential oil during our final resting pose. I don’t know if it alleviated my stres… Read More
2015-11-12 07:17
Photo courtesy picalandIntroduction by Ted Kooser: During World War II the government endorsed the publication of inexpensive paperbacks for persons serving overseas. Jehanne Dubrow, who liv… Read More
2015-11-09 20:18
Albert Camus said, “You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” Does this m… Read More
2015-11-06 16:59
Photo courtesy Autumn Mott“Nearly everything we’re afraid of is going to happen anyway, so what’s to fear? There is no secure or unchanging ground, and we make ourselves sa… Read More
2015-11-02 17:08
I’m joining Dani DiPirro’s 30-Day Gratitude Photo Challenge again this year (I wrote about last year’s here and here). I figure concentrating on what I have and am grateful… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
Photo courtesy Liz WestMy parents didn’t live long enough to be confronted with the notion of paying for a bottle of water. They’d be horrified. Pay for water? Who ever heard of… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
As I mentioned in “Hello Sketchbook, My Old Friend,” I’ve been taking Laure Ferlita’s An Imaginary Visit to a Past Vacation class. Not for the first time, I noticed I… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
I recently celebrated another milestone anniversary: 10 years of having my horse, Tank. I find this as mind blowing as knowing I’ve been married for 26 years and that I have a (nearly)… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
It’s been a long time since I’ve had a cat, and I had forgotten some of the added services cats provide over and above being pets. Each cat has his or her own specialties, and he… Read More
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