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

Enjoy this YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poem “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross” on 7/28/22 during the APS (Austin Poetry Society) Open Mic zoom meeting (video filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera; on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoem

Enjoy this YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poem “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross” on 7/28/22 during the APS (Austin Poetry Society) Open Mic zoom meeting (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix T56 camera; on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoem

Enjoy this YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poem “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross” on 7/28/22 during the APS (Austin Poetry Society) Open Mic zoom meeting (this video was filmed from a Samsung S9 camera; on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoem

Enjoy this Facebook live video stream of Janet Kuypers reading her poem “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross” on 7/28/22 during the APS (Austin Poetry Society) Open Mic zoom meeting (this video was filmed and streamed from a Samsung S9 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoem

Enjoy this YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poetry, with with her poem “Tag Team Poets” flowing into the end of her poem “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross”, then, after being asked to continue to read, read her full poem “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross” as the first poet performing for C Ra McGuirt on his birthday 8/13/22 at a memorial in Nashville, TN after his passing away (from a Samsung S9 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry

Enjoy this YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poetry, with with her poem “Tag Team Poets” flowing into the end of her poem “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross”, then, after being asked to continue to read, read her full poem “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross” as the first poet performing for C Ra McGuirt on his birthday 8/13/22 at a memorial in Nashville, TN after his passing away (this video was filmed from a Samsung S9 camera with a Hue Cycling filter; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry

Enjoy this YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poetry performance, starting with the beginning of her poem “Those Were the Days of Our Lives (dreams 8/12/22)” flowing into her poem “Tag Team Poets” flowing into the end of her poem “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross”, then, after being asked to continue to read, read her full poem “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross” as the first poet performing for C Ra McGuirt on his birthday 8/13/22 at a memorial in Nashville, TN after his passing away (this video was filmed from an iPhone 10 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry

Enjoy this full YouTube video of the C Ra McGuirt wake/celebration of his life on his birthday 8/13/22 at Cafe Coco Cafe & Bistro in Nashville, TN, with (in order): Allen Welty-Green, Janet Kuypers, Brian Daly, Phillip Hart, Stuart Arkovitz, Klyd Watkins, Pat Crossett, Ross Massey, Steve Gans, Larry Simons, and Maxine Herbert.

Enjoy this YouTube video (in honor of a 3/8/23 Wednesday The Café Gallery open mic date) of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “Your Government’s Keeping Tabs”, “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross”, “Information Carries Weight” , and “Only Considering Women’s Rights” from the from the v204 2/23 Down in the Dirt issue/book “Web” that will also appear in the 2023 CyberWit.net book “TESTAMENT” for The Café Gallery Book Reading series (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). This YouTube video was also filmed from a Panasonic Lumix T56 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuypersbookreading #janetkuyperspoetry #janetkuyperswomensrights #janetkuypersequalityforwomen #janetkuypersthecafegallery

Enjoy this YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her Down in the Dirt 1-4/23 issue collection book “Forbidden Library” poems “Your Government’s Keeping Tabs” and “Our Ships Would No Longer Cross” (both also in the 2023 CyberWit.net book “Testament”), + her new poem “Finally Found Home” to close her “Poetic License 6/4/23 global open mic” through a Zoom meeting and a Facebook event page (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). Also enjoy this as a Facebook live video stream that was filmed & streamed from a Samsung S9 camera; on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuypersbookreading #janetkuyperspoetry #janetkuyperspoeticlicense

Our Ships Would  No Longer Cross Janet Kuypers 7/26/22 It was tough, Trying to take the time to see him, But, you know, You have to make time for a god. I hear that religion is an important thing — And when he moved farther away, And then Imoved farther away — Well, we’d say we’d make an effort, But you know how life gets in the way. Life gets in the way, they say, Even for gods and poets alike. And although I knew his pain in the past, He never spoke of it again until later — Once I was too far away to make a difference. So once, when I was traveling at great length again, When my sun god happened to be closer to reach I contacted him, asked if I could make the trip To see him again. And he was Curt, Cut me off, told me no. I didn’t understand his response, I just wanted to lose myself with this sun god One more time — And I was only told after his Assisted suicide That his pain was so great That he cut everyone out, Became argumentative, belligerent. So maybe it is for the best that Our ships could not cross one more time If I couldn’t help this god And he would inadvertently Hurt me in the process. # I’ve been pushing it to the back of my mind,                                                                         but I’ve been thinking about this lately,                                                           and I can’t really get it out of my head anymore. Where is that point, That point of no return, And how does each and every one of us Face it Without losing our minds Or just giving up. Then I wonder: How many people have given up — And just not told anyone. They go through the motions When the pain is not so bad That they literally need to end their life. Then again, maybe some have given up inside Without even reaching that breaking point. You see, this is why I’ve tried to avoid Thinking about all of this, Now that I’m about to cry Because of the injustices to my friend, To my poet, to my wrestler, To that sun god we all in a way worship. We all think that in a way The light he gives helps to give us life, But we forget, we couldn’t see, we didn’t know, And there was nothing we could do, That for so many years he was dying inside That’s what happens to a sun, Remember your astronomy classes, After all of the energy expulsion And the burning of hydrogen They eventually run out of power, Just... collapse. Some hate to think of the Death of a star, But we’ve learned all about this. We should be prepared. And even though the sun god We know and love burns so bright We have to remember this, and Brace ourselves For when some stars have to die.

Copyright © Janet Kuypers.

All rights reserved. No material
may be reprinted without express permission.

Like Janet Kuypers’ writing on any of these links below: