[the Writing of Kuypers]    [JanetKuypers.com]    [Bio]    [Poems]    [Prose]

Order this iTunes track: from the poetry audio CDetc. ...Or order the entire CD set from iTunes CD:

Listen Live at the Café, now available in a 3 CD set

Watch this YouTube video (4:22) studio session “etc.” book reading for audio CD 08/14/07

See YouTube video from 5/27/17 of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “yearning to break free”, “Every Soul Celebrates” and “Stairs” in the “Poetry Aloud” open mic at the Georgetown Public Library (from a Lumix camera).

See YouTube video from 5/27/17 of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “yearning to break free”, “Every Soul Celebrates” and “Stairs” in the “Poetry Aloud” open mic at the Georgetown Public Library (from a Sony camera).

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poem “Climbing Trees”, then her poem “Stairs” read with John, both read from her cc&d volume 2 poetry collection book “a Wake-Up Call from Tradition”, then she sings the Depeche Mode song “Breathe” a cappella, live 2/15/20 at the Austin “Open Mic Showcase” at Recycled Reads (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram & Tumblr).

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poem “Climbing Trees”, then her poem “Stairs” read with John, both read from her cc&d volume 2 poetry collection book “a Wake-Up Call from Tradition”, then she sings the Depeche Mode song “Breathe” a cappella, live 2/15/20 at the Austin “Open Mic Showcase” at Recycled Reads (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix T56 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram & Tumblr).

Stairs (j.k. and j.y.) I’m sick of these stairs that I keep having to take I keep having to climb up, and I keep getting nowhere twisting around in a spiral I rise like the wrought iron balusters, that need the rust cleaned off and a fresh coat of paint there are so many things that I need and I’m wondering if scraping off the damage is enough or if trying to cover up what has been done is enough if this rising is enough because I’m beginning to wonder if anything from what I do is enough won’t somebody tell me will anyone tell me somebody somewhere come please, and help me the leaden weight keeps dragging me down I’ve been looking for someone and I don’t think anyone has the answers for me anymore because I think I know what I’m doing and no one has been able to make it better so far scraping and painting I’ve got to keep going to keep these stairs in repair I’ve found underneath the strength and the beauty that put these stairs in here with each stroke of the brush my load’s getting lighter the burden easier to bear I look below and see that I’ve fixed the broken down, the rusted-out tiers it is beginning to become more amazing to me     all that I can see below     all that I have managed to overcome     all that I have gone through and and I know I have made it past a lot and I wonder if I am going to be lucky enough to make it to the top of these damn stairs and I will have a great view from the top and no one else will get to see this view with me? with me and my paint scrapers my buckets of paints and brushes I look and I see others below me struggling with their own loads some scraping some painting on the same stairwell and I’ve got to tell them it is hell to do it it’s not fun, I’ll admit it but when you count all the chips at the end of the game of stairs you’ll have the most pieces you’ll be the winner and if you have to stand there alone at least you’ll know that you made it and you know, I know it’s hell but you’ve got to keep telling yourself that each step each stair is worth it so I’ll scrape and I’ll climb I’ll paint climb some more I’ve been told there is happiness happiness somewhere if I only can make it if only I can take it take the pain of climbing these stairs Copyright Janet Kuypers. All rights reserved. No material may be reprinted without express permission.