A haiku about the bonds of a cat and her kitten.
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Greg Vessar
I love music, I love to travel, and I love to write. My blog "A Thousand Miles from Kansas" combines all three. I am a Kansas boy and an educator on sabbatical. I have lived in many places around the globe and I currently live in northern Japan. Journey with me as I combine my loves of music, travel, and the written word as I navigate through life.
The Ten Best ABBA Songs Ever!
I submit to you my top ten ABBA songs. This list is strictly my own and based entirely on my own opinion of what makes a good ABBA song. I encourage you to comment on your favorites!
ABBA Reunion…S.O.S.
As a fan of the Swedish group ABBA, I was excited to learn that they will embark on a reunion tour this year. But I have to ask, what’a an ABBAtar?
Winter Haiku
In the spirit of Basho Matsuo, the first great Japanese poet of Haiku.
Island of Lost Toys
When I lived in Kurashiki, the Bikan Historical District was a place where my wife and I liked to indulge in quiet, reflective walks or meet friends for drinks and dinner. A few years ago, I traveled back to Kurashiki, Japan to visit a friend and I had the opportunity to revisit the Bikan. I only spent two days wandering it’s narrow streets, but I took copious notes and began writing about my experience. Since then, I have written and rewritten this piece several times. This is my latest revision.
I Saw Elvis Today
In 1993, I found myself in line at a post office to get the new United States Postal Service’s first ever Elvis Presley postage stamp. Only twenty-nine cents back in the day. I remember it was a madhouse with people dressed as Elvis. I saw “Blue Hawai’i” Elvis, “Aloha from Hawai’i” Elvis, and all manner of Elvis in between! But what really caught my eye was a little nine year old boy, totally decked out in Elvis attire complete with white jumpsuit, sweeping hair, gold-rimmed sunglasses, and a guitar.
Tropic Treasure
A poem about an experience I had on the island of Ebeye in the Republic of the Marshall Islands in the middle of the Pacific. A Marshallese friend once told me that the Pacific has no memory. I wrote this poem in 2001, but it has always haunted my thoughts. It has many revisions, but this is the current one I like the most.
Vegas Normal?
I thought I would start 2019 by sharing a poem. We lived in Las Vegas for several years before moving to Japan. Vegas is a fun city and there is always something to do any time or day of the week. It is a different lifestyle for sure. I wrote this poem not long after we landed in the Nevada desert. My ode to Las Vegas.
2019 The Year of the Boar
As 2018 draws to a close here in Japan with a cavalcade of snow and cold, we say farewell to […]
Mama’s Christmas Tree
Tis the day before Christmas here in Japan. As I looked out at our snow covered lawn, a Spirit of Christmas Past took me on a trip to my family’s first Christmas on our farm. I wrote this account a couple of years ago, but I have made some recent revisions. Merry Christmas!
A Thousand Miles from Kansas 