Bøger af John Mullin

From the scenic slopes of New Zealand's Southern Alps to the searing sun of Nevada's southern desert; from Aussie gold to Irish green (and variations in between!) the poetic craft of John Mullin has developed from infant steps to that higher level of maturity where mastery (at times) may be conferred.Fragments is thus a poetic collection of different classical forms from the 14-line Sonnet (English and Italian) to Spenserian Stanzas with Limericks and other nameless variations in between. It reflects at length on the human condition from the perspective of both participant and silent observer with the greater emphasis on the latter. Such is part of the essence of classical poetry - to hold, as it were, a mirror up to Nature though its glass may be found broken in Fragments!

A sonnet, well-crafted and well written, is fourteen lines of beauty and sheer (unadulterated) power! While, to write one and instinctively know you have 'nailed' it is nothing less than bliss, be it ecstasy, for the creator who is led to compose this classical form of poetic expression. Furthermore, it would often seem that the first eight lines (octave) must set the stage for the remaining six (sestet) where the plot is revealed in such a way as to surpass the original thought behind it. As if the final outcome overwhelms the initial intent through the revelation of something quite intangible, beyond the capability of the conscious mind - greatly limited in obscure, arcane and esoteric matters as, indeed, it is.A sonnet, classically constructed, should appear in one of the two forms faithfully followed over the centuries. The Shakespearean, or English, version allows for a somewhat simpler rhyming pattern than the Petrarchan, or Italian, sonnet which requires a four-line rhyme not once but twice in those first eight lines. What sounds a bit complicated is really quite simple from a practical point of view and thus, on this subject, we will say no more! It is in the reading, which even now awaits, rather than the writing, which by now is done, that leads the poet's mind to wonder if that same bliss, or ecstasy, will strike the reader as it struck the writer?Perhaps it's just a few, or (God forbid) but one, which plucks a secret string, stirs some hidden (cherished) chord, long-buried in that deepest recess of the heart - where all things bitter-sweet most surely lie.We have chosen 110 sonnets in total - 50 earlier works and 60 later - to fill this collection. No magic formulae were applied but good numbers they seemed to be, at least to begin with. If you should like them, at least 'some sonnets', we can put together 'some more sonnets' at a later date, another place in time, for your purest reading pleasure.

The tests and trials, intertwined with the greatest satisfaction, attributed to composing sonnets were discussed in part in the introduction to our first collection entitled 'Some Sonnets'. In this second collection, aptly called 'Some More Sonnets', the same poetic constraints are imposed and the same challenges are ever present. But the great satisfaction upon completion of fourteen (glorious) lines is undeniable - at least in the poet's mind. So it is, with a wonderful sense of fulfillment, that this 110-sonnet addition is presented for the enjoyment and, perhaps, further edification of the reader.Together they all, each in its own individual way, represent many facets of the prevailing human condition as well as transcending this rather fragile and corruptible world we are made to live in - with (hopefully) a certain degree of grace before the sands of time run out - to explore, in word and thought, this realm and others which may lead us forward (again hopefully) to a better, if not higher, outcome.The rhyming patterns continue as before, be it by classical design, with a personal preference towards the English rather than the Italian - the first being less demanding by way of repetition. The pentameters are constant throughout and the final two lines, in the majority of cases, attempt to provide an ending that, if written properly, is powerful and riveting - encapsulating the theme and delivering it with unique, poetic force. If that be true, we can only hope that our readers are equally arrested - at least by some of 'Some More Sonnets'.

To say that poetry is a magic craft shall ring of truth despite any contentious remarks by those critical of the classical form or, indeed, poetry in general. A craft it is, no doubt, yet magic surely flows throughout the rhythm of the rhyme and, if properly written, it will cast its own mysterious spell upon the reader - to enthrall and enchant, or bewitch and beguile, as the lines and the verses unfold. Bearing this in mind we have enabled 'The Magic Craft' to conjure an atmosphere of mysticism and mystery and hold the reader, at least during those more inspired moments, utterly spellbound! However, mesmerizing as this may be, there is another (higher) level behind the craft of magic where illusion and fantasy do not play a significant role but where all creation is granted equal recognition along with the underlying cause which precipitated it in the beginning. In other words the agent that made it happen. An aspect of the cosmic creator might we say? Of that supernatural spirit which occupies everything it formed yet is known only to those enlightened enough to deeply ponder such things and find but one solution fits all. (Therein lies the magic, therein the truth.) And there, indeed, is the incorruptible, immortal reason for this universal state of being in which every part participates, be it near or far, great or small. And which we have explored in our own unique, if limited, way aboard 'The Magic Craft'. Through five parts (or cantos) encompassing 105 poems and written in the classical style.

The Emerald Isle has always seemed (at least to this poet) a magical and mystical land. Such mysteries are carried on the breeze which blows, ever so often, across the Irish landscapes and stimulates the poetic imagination in so many wondrous ways. A very special appeal, as the Mother to her wayward child, across the centuries, calling it to return once more to its ancient, be it ancestral home. Of course, it must be said, whether the poet is adequately capable of putting those haunting rhythms and rhymes upon paper is another story altogether. Suffice it to say, that a host of thoughts and subtleties find birth under windswept, overhanging skies such that it is impossible to contain them in the mind without putting them to verse. And so it was, indeed several years ago, in County Clare, upon the poet's birthday, that Enchantment began and the great Magician entered this world of ours. Whether this world will embrace him is still, in part, unknown but the pleasure and camaraderie he has already given his scribe is more than reward in itself. Enchantment, at this time of writing, consists of three books which have each been published separately. In this edition they are brought together as one complete volume - alike a trilogy placed between two covers in the order of content as first conceived then written. In the broadest of terms it is perhaps safe enough to say that Book 1 introduces the Magician, and his environment, to the reader while recounting some of his earliest adventures. Book 2 tends to explore his relationship with the human beings who live outside his magical forest - ever hidden and invisible to them. As mortals their destinies give reason for concern but it is not for him to intervene. Book 3, on the other hand, reflects more on his divine origins and his central role at the time of Creation. Highly imaginative, one might say, but provocative nonetheless. All three books are written in the classical poetic style while remaining faithful to the same meter and rhyming pattern throughout and which, for those who care to make comparisons, is similar to that used by Lord Tennyson in his epic poem, 'In Memorium'. And, finally, what began in Ireland was completed in Las Vegas (no less) which is also a magical location - filled with wonder and illusion! As indeed, is Enchantment and the great Magician who fills the pages of all three books with his incomparable magic. Be it in this world and throughout the Universe - or beyond to where there is no end.

There is no better description, at least we are inclined to think so, than to quote the 'Introduction' as it appears in the published copy of 'The Legacy of '99'.'There's wonder and excitement in the air. The very thought of a new millennium fills the people with great expectations - what will 2000 bring? Yet, amidst the awe, another feeling makes its presence known. It is a sense of destruction, even utter finality, which weighs heavily on many hearts and minds. Does 1999 lead us all to hope for the triumph of lasting peace with that true happiness which has been so elusive down throughout the ages? Or, is the realization of our deepest fears just below the horizon? Will the legacy of '99 be a new beginning or the end of an epoch - a better life for all the Earth's inhabitants, or the ultimate annihilation of the species? Perhaps something in between? Is mankind deserving of another chance to bring some measure of glory upon itself, or has it reaped the destruction pronounced by a higher court for all its misshapen deeds? The answer's left entirely in our own hands.I am dedicating these poems to the final year of the century and, indeed, the ending of the past 1000 years! As with 'A Child is Born' this second collection consists of unrelated themes and storylines. The only connecting thread is that each begins, and ends, during the year of 1999 - 52 in all, one for every week, plus an epitaph. And, of course, that they constitute the first two parts of the 'Ode to Friendship Trilogy' where that great and most wonderful gift is celebrated, be it subtle at times, in many of the poems included in each collection.What this legacy of 1999 shall ultimately prove to be is hidden from our eyes at present but, through our works, perhaps we each can make a difference and thus ensure a worthy conclusion to one age while creating the opportunity for a glorious entrance to the next. Already the year 2000 (y2k) is among us and will write a new and different chapter in the on-going saga of Life on Earth. Let us mind it well so that its epitaph can truly record 'acclaim' and greatly lessen mankind's long-held and terrible 'lament'.'The final dedication reads as follows: 'A safe and sound, healthy and happy new millennium!Have a genuinely good life, every one, Cheers, John Mul

This is the third book in the 'Enchantment' series -which, in the classical poetic form, illuminates the continuing saga of the great Magician and the secret forest he calls home. Although, it must be said, home can be anywhere in the Universe. Such is his supreme power and majesty. In Book 3 the poet expands on the divine roots of the Magician and his incomparable magic. He is shown to be 'not of this world' but is surely an aspect of the Creator, Almighty God, Great Spirit, or whatever title is given the One. He existed at the very beginning, before the moment of creation, and had a most important part to play before, and during, that monumental occasion. His earliest exploits, and the various episodes since then, form the basis of 'Enchantment' and we cannot but wonder at the universal scope of his magical power. There is simply nothing that it is unable to accomplish no matter the location for it truly spans every part of creation - and beyond!And yet, despite the enormity of his work and the diversity of his undertakings, we find that the Magician has chosen to live in rather humble surroundings amidst his rustic friends and the faerie folke that inhabit his forest within the magical realm of Faerieland. There, he is greatly beloved though seldom understood and that by the very few - perhaps the higher elves that know him best.He is all-wise and all-knowledge is his while his magic is incomprehensible be it for the highest and best outcome at all times. He is an enlightened being but that only brushes the surface for words cannot contain him.Book 3 resumes from where its predecessors left off, and the supernatural fascination and the 'hermetic romance' of it all, of the great Magician and his secret, though wondrous, forest shall likely leave the reader enthralled.The same rhyming meter is employed identically in the three books and is similar to that used by Lord Tennyson in his epic poem 'In Memorium'. And, although comparison to such a master may seem a little brash, there is a sensitivity within 'Enchantment' that remains eminently faithful to the classical poetic craft and lends a very unique and enjoyable experience to the reader.

To call the writing of this book a labor of love would be an understatement. On the one hand it has been a fulfilling occupation, perhaps secretive in its own way, while on the other it has brought unequal measures of joy, ecstasy, and despair to its creator - all components of love as we think about it. Anyway the ultimate pleasure has been fully realized and hopefully will be passed on to the reader. Time, as it now appears, will tell! Noticeable throughout is that each poem, or tale, is comprised of four, six-line, (heroic) verses utilizing rhyming couplets. No variation in a total of exactly one hundred can be found - or even exists for that matter. As for the subject material it would seem to be best described in the very first poem entitled, of course, Timeless Tales. Any further description or commentary appears unnecessary except to say, from the heart, that a hope for greater illumination rests within the pages which follow. From primacy to the present era is the all-encompassing background that reaches beyond this earth to the outer regions of the universe - if not always in fact then in fantasy and wherever the poetic instincts should lead which, in the end, is surely the best we can do.

Perhaps it's time for a return Down Under! Symbolically at least, with one foot on either side of the Tasman Sea which separates those very independent, yet all too-similar, worlds of Australia and New Zealand. A shared heritage within my own family speaks of the two cultures which influence me to this day - forever shaping my thoughts, actions, and most assuredly these poems I write. As the thoughts become words, along the voyage of our third collection, I shall let my old region step forward as it wants - sometimes in silence, and then aloud, if the unmistakable urgings of former times insist on having a say in this, the final book of the 'Ode to Friendship Trilogy'. Appropriate, I might add, for the essence of friendship (mateship) is stirred down there in a very special way, quite unlike any other - though many are the roads I have traveled, the deepest of friendships I have seen!Written in the metrical rhymes of classical poetry, and which provides its own unique pleasure to the reader. No better way, or so it would seem, to express a journey of nostalgia that celebrates the human spirit while it navigates the too-often stormy seas of life.

'Quest for Eldorado' describes, in classical poetic form, a twenty-five year odyssey which seeks an understanding, indeed some realization, of the subject of manifestation - the transformation from spiritual desire to physical reality. It is a journey of self-discovery by way of great hardship and often intense suffering along a mostly indistinct, twisting path where the final destination is obscured even until some degree of clarity is ultimately received.The Quest proceeds through eighteen poems, written over eighteen years, each connected by a similar metric-rhyming pattern so as to provide continuity, uniquely portrayed, for the reader.

'Ode to Friendship' is a trilogy. That is to say it is comprised of three books herein united under one (common) title. Each book has been separately published as a single volume but now would appear that moment in time when three shall become one - a trinity as it were.A very singular experience in the poet's own life is the hidden, albeit dramatic, essence upon which this trilogy is based. It is through a completely selfless act of personal courage, by a treasured friend, when all hope seemed lost, that many of the words included find their inspiration. Even if not obvious to the reader, a certain unbroken thread is woven throughout all 190 poems (and an epilogue) contained between the covers. It aspires to those higher values, such as friendship, which can change our lives for the better and can render the more trivial matters, those that take up so much of our time and energy, quite worthless as the case may be. It makes the 'self' obsolete while vanity is exposed for the shallowness of character that truly defines it.This is the work of classical poetry and the rhyming meters contained throughout bear witness to this highest form of written expression - or so it would be known and appreciated through many previous generations. Rhythmically pleasing, to the eye and ear alike, it can flow across the mind with wondrous ease - yet with the greatest intensity.In here, is the poet's 'rite of passage' - those first flirtations with the traditional poetic craft yet presented in his own unique style. From the infant steps we see in "A Child is Born", through the end of a millennium as witnessed in "The legacy of '99" to the fond farewell given to those lands 'down under' - which gave the poet his first exposure to, and enduring love for, the classical form as shown in "Flight of the Kiwi'.It only now remains, following this briefest of descriptions, to venture within the poet's world and listen to all he has to say - perhaps not all, but there is an considerable array of thoughts and emotions from which even the most critical reader will undoubtedly find something to catch their interest! Within that long 'unbroken' thread which, after all, is the essence of 'Ode to Friendship'.

2005 is a collection of classical poetry, composed by John Mullin who is an acknowledged master of the craft. 100 poems comprise the contents which offer a full range of poetic expression from 14-line Sonnets to Odes and others of more epic proportions. All written, it must be said, during the year 2005 in both Ireland and America.Herein, life is detailed in so many of its less-flattering aspects with the occasional triumph lending a measure of balance to the on-going odyssey. Mortality, its hopes and fears, its dreams and disappointments, is chronicled by classical line and verse to the pleasing rhythms of rhyme and meter. A unique reading experience is this which celebrates the joys and sorrows as seen by the poet during the year 2005.

State of Being is a collection of classical poetry written by a master of the craft. Its central theme is the eternal search for Truth by a mortal state of severe, indeed infinite, limitations whereby that part of humankind, called upon to do so, must confront those worldly and otherworldly forces ever seeking dominion over body and soul. And where, let it be said, the light shall vie with darkness and those who seek the higher path will be confronted with such frightening obstacles, and fearful antagonists, so arrayed as to make forward progress extremely difficult, if not impossible, most of the time. So shall the way be hidden from human sight, and filled with peril, while only those of unbounded courage and dauntless belief in a higher 'state of being' will survive. This is the bedrock from which the various poems in this bookhave been created and from which (perhaps) long-suffering humanity can rise, as the Phoenix, to a new and more enlightened state of being.

Book 2 of 'Enchantment' continues the story of the great Magician and the mystical forest in which he lives with his beloved companions the 'forest folk' and where he conjures his incomparable magic while attending to the various worldly, and otherworldly, matters whenever that supreme Master is called upon to do so. All-knowledge and ultimate power is his yet it is not for him to intervene in the affairs of 'mortal man' who, it seems, must work out his own destiny or upward evolution, if he is able to do so, before plunging into the abyss which draws him ever closer as underlying tendencies dictate.Written in the rhythmical style of classical poetry, by another master of his craft, wherein the metered rhyme only heightens the pleasurable reading experience while provoking that higher, more esoteric thought through which the hidden mysteries of 'Enchantment' may only be revealed.

'A Child is Born' is the first volume of the "Ode to Friendship Trilogy'. Written in the rhyming meter, that best exemplifies classical poetry, this collection of 70 poems introduces the Child (whose name is indeed Poetry) into our physical world and where it takes its first, infant steps. The poems are all quite different, looking at life in its various aspects, at least some, while seeking the higher path that leads, ever onwards, towards the Truth.Beneath it all rests the great (exalted) gift of friendship while here, in particular, one of its most treasured examples is honored. A courageous and forever cherished friend who, by way of selfless sacrifice, brought new life when all about seemed lost or forsaken. Such is the underlying essence of this trilogy and which inspired the poet, in large part, to continue to strive for that which seemed worthwhile at the time. The poetry begins between these covers and, from one unselfish seed, still continues to grow - be it without limit as that friend would desire.

'Across the starry heavens it surveyed A firmament which filled the soul with awe Where magic was so wondrously displayed Upon the tapestry the creature saw. As such, enchantment lit the darkened nave Where primacy should fearfully reside And seek protection, be it in a cave, Though little comfort would those walls provide. That echoed with each predatory howl Borne on a breeze of unrepentant breath Or where an adversary chose to prowl - Invoking stealth to aid the course of death..........' And with these three opening 4-line verses (not joined together as must be shown here!) 'Heaven and Earth' begins to weave its poetic web while the creation story is portrayed as never before! Written in the elegant, classical form, most dramatic in metered rhyme, this poetic symphony traces evolution from primacy, through chaos then order, unto the present age. With a speculative glimpse into the future as it turns about its potential conclusion but which, of course, remains as yet hidden albeit unknown to the human condition. What is primarily a work of fiction contains those revelations that appear to knit together some vestiges of truth - or so it seemed to the poet at the time as he conjured his magic spells while putting pen to paper and bringing heaven (or the heavens) and earth in closer proximity. And where he was joined by the one, the true creator, and its principal aspect - the great magician whose words occur, in limited measure, throughout the fourth and final movement of the symphony e.g. 'Come kneel beside me, honored guest, Come stay with me this chosen hour, Then he unleashed such primal power That wrenched creation from his breast!' Herein we follow the trials and tribulations of the creature that arises from the primal waters and, granted immortality, bears silent witness as to the path of evolution throughout the eons until its ascendancy in the modern era. And, so it is, that the reader can ride upon the magic craft, upon the rise and fall, the flowing rhythms of rhyme, while the infinite, ever expanding universe is revealed (at least to some extent) upon a multi-textured, rainbow-tinted firmament which brings about its own end as seen in the final verses - 'Until upon a palette's inner spot, 'Round which those vestiges had once revolved, The artist drew a universal dot And where creation was (at length) dissolved. But deep within that dot a silhouette Was undisturbed, though all should fade away, Where magic and enchantment ever met - As, in the twilight, at the close of day!'

Herein lies the story of the great Magician and the mystical, be it mysterious, forest where he lives. Though 'not of this world' but ascended from an enlightened group of star beings, indeed a divine race of sorcerers it is told, all knowledge and supremacy is his for it would seem that he alone can mediate and solve the complexities of the Universe. Unable to intrude he must only bear witness to the fleeting joys, ever-present sorrows, accorded fragile (albeit mortal) humanity.Written in the rhyming, metrical style of classical poetry which brings its own unique experience and pleasure to the reader. And provoking, it must be said, those higher levels of thought along the way where truth embraces fiction and fantasy blurs with reality. Such is the magical essence, the esoteric mystery of 'Enchantment'.

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