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Robert J. Tiess

@robertjtiess.bsky.social

810 followers 920 following 640 posts

Published poet/author/writer Poetry/nature/library/education advocate Musician artist philosopher Career in libraries Married to Sandra Sprague Books: + Gracious Nature + May We Learn from the Earth + The Humbling & Other Poems robertjtiess.wordpress.com

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Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · Nov 11

Introducing myself...

Hi! My name is Robert.

I'm a poet living in New York with my wife, Sandra.

I love writing primarily about #nature and life, and I've been penning poems since the 1980s.

You can learn more about me, my #poetry, and my #books at RobertJTiess.net

#poets #writers #authors

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Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 17m

My poem "The Bottom Lines"

about Nick Bottom and Titania.

I submitted it to A Midsummer Night's Dream poetry challenge.

I hope #Shakespeare lovers and others enjoy it!

ALT text

+ link with an earlier draft: allpoetry.com/poem/1870857...

#poetry #poems #fantasy #romance #literature #roleplaying

THE TITLE OF THE POEM:
The Bottom Lines

THE POEM:
How well you play Titania, my queen,
and I'm Nick Bottom, weaver, looped buffoon,
bamboozled wooer with the burro's head,
no prankster Puck or sullen Oberon:
I'll twist in stitches of myself, transfixed
by looming loves, affection's threaded spells,
because midsummer twines our finespun nights
with patchwork dreams and sackcloth comedies.
At worst—at dawn—we'll wake up to ourselves.
At best, our passion's supernatural!

THE END OF THE POEM.

Poem by Robert J. Tiess Copyright © 2025

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 1d

"In Wakes of Breaking Memories"

a poem I wrote for a William Stafford themed poetry challenge.

If you read this, thank you. I hope you find it enjoyable.

ALT text in image

+ poem link: allpoetry.com/poem/1870459...

#poetry #poems #poetrycommunity #readingcommunity #boats #sailing #metaphors

THE TITLE OF THE POEM:
In Wakes of Breaking Memories

THE POEM:

Fall foliage restocks my yard.
Three speedboats rev by as I bag
more maple leaves, reflect on love,
postpone the door to be restored,
deny I have insomnia.

The lone canoer's paddling back.
At least the sun gets rest tonight,
but not before it throws some gold
at waters which won't hold it long.
The treasure's in remembering.

I've been the master of my craft,
chased places, daydreams, distances,
ridiculous discoveries,
blindfolded aims, the queasy peace
of fading wakes, and journeys' ends.

I've questioned when forgetting's best,
if newness never dissipates,
then everywhere feels unexplored
so skippers fish or swim without
an ounce of sinking memories.

THE END OF THE POEM.

Poem by Robert J. Tiess Copyright © 2025

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 3d

Speaking of #butterflies
in 2015 I created this using Blender

Dreaming: Chuang Tzu, or the Butterfly
www.artstation.com/artwork/DZl50

ALT text in the image.

Re: Chuang Tzu
iep.utm.edu/zhuangzi-chu...

& his dream
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangz...

#art #blender #butterfly #philosophy #philosophers

This is a pastel image filled with soft hues of simplistically illustrated butterflies encircling Chuang Tzu, a philosopher, whose eyes are closed as he dreams of butterflies and/or contemplates whether or not he is a butterfly dreaming of being a person. The butterflies are large and small, and, they come together and overlap to establish the image of Chuang Tzu: two butterflies stand for his eyes, and the rest help to form his hair and long beard. It is a peaceful image.

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 3d

My poem As Butterflies Advise

I submitted this to a 25-word poetry challenge about butterflies.

I hope the poem--and the butterflies--speak to you.

ALT text in image

+poem link allpoetry.com/poem/1868929...

#poetry #poems #butterflies #inspirational #butterfly #advice #readingcommunity #nature

THE TITLE OF THE POEM:
As Butterflies Advise

THE POEM:
"Outdistance limits,
friends!"

"Ascend!"

"Imagine stairs
through open air!"

"Surrender endless
plummeting!"

"Envision
hidden pinnacles!"

"Know nothing's
insignificant!"

"Let meekness
teach magnificence!"

"Embrace your metamorphosis!"

THE END OF THE POEM

Poem by Robert J. Tiess Copyright © 2025

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 3d

My #tanka for #blueskyrelay
#sublime theme
___________________________________

I cross out "sublime":
mountains merit better words.
Lordly? Glorious?
Adjectives demean these scenes.
Earth deserves choice poetry.

___________________________________
#poetry #poem © me 2025
@blueskyrelay.bsky.social

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 4d

One of my favorites by Berry.

Such a good one.

Thank you.

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 4d

Yes, and I absolutely love Data's handling in Picard.

Here's something I found about the Seven of Nine/Star Trek Legacy show...
screenrant.com/star-trek-le...

She's willing, but... money, Parmount business decisions, etc.

Hopefully Paramount will soon realize how incredible a show this could be.

Seven Of Nine's Star Trek Future Gets Hopeful Update From Jeri Ryan 2 Years After Picard's Ending

Never say never.

screenrant.com

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 4d

Yes, the TNG cast each had powerful challenges, and it was great to see their individualities and legendary teamwork once again.

Seven of Nine was definitely amazing throughout. I wish we heard which "engage" phrase she chose.

If her Star Trek Legacy show ever happens, I'll be tuning in for sure.

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Reposted by Robert J. Tiess

Faber Books @faberbooks.bsky.social · 5d

Today we are celebrating the publication of The Poems of Seamus Heaney, the long-awaited, definitive edition of Heaney’s poetry.

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Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 5d

Thank you, Jim!

Reposted by Robert J. Tiess

Irish Literary Times @irishlittimes.bsky.social · 5d

Previously unpublished Seamus Heaney poems released
bbc.com/news/article...

Seamus Heaney: Previously unseen poetry published

A major volume of poetry by Seamus Heaney includes previously unseen works.

bbc.com

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Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 5d

Search engine quality was bound to decline as the Web exponentially grew.

It's something my colleagues and I witnessed and had to deal with for some time now in the library world.

On the bright side, more people come to libraries now, and we continue to build research collections and ways to help.

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 5d

That's so beautiful, Jim!

Brief as the video is, it has a meditative quality when looped like that.

This is a #haiku your post inspired in me...

.

sluicing through old stones:
water from an unseen source
brings new life to rocks

.

I hope you like it.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Robert

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Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 5d

I vowed to keep posts here focused on poetry, but...

I just finished watching Picard...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Tr...

...and what an epic and glorious three-season tale is told!

TNG fans who've not seen it yet are in for an incredible treat!

Completely recommended!

#startrek #scifi #trekkies

Star Trek: Picard - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 8d

You're most welcome, Marcía!

I'm grateful you revitalize the poetry and writing feeds with your thoughtful works.

I try to do my part, too, even as I sometimes wonder if anyone sees my posts.

Best wishes and much inspiration to you, Marcía!

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 9d

Hi, Marcía!

I don't get time to comment on posts, but I've been meaning for a while to stop by and say how nice it is to read your responses to these various daily poetry prompts.

I appreciate your efforts!

I try to participate when I can, but I admire your devotion.

Keep up the wonderful work!🌞

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Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 9d

I've hit that wall a few times.

If I start to feel like that, I try to get outside, see the trees, watch clouds--basically to stand there, not think, just breathe.

Nature can be rejuvenating and mind-clearing to me, and that clarity can help me continue my writing.

Wishing you much inspiration!

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 9d

In 2002, I tried to launch the OpenLit Movement.

It urged expressive liberty, interpretive freedom, critical openness.

Total literary democracy.

It went nowhere, but it had some good ideas.🙂

The WayBack Machine link if you're curious
web.archive.org/web/20021004...

#poetry #literature #writing

OpenLit - An Introduction to the Open Literature Movement

web.archive.org

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Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 9d

Here's something I often tell poets asking me how they might refine their work:

* READ YOUR POEMS OUT LOUD. *

Or ask someone to read them aloud.

It can be a revelation. Try it!

Once I started to do that regularly, I wanted more meter and musicality in my poems.

#poetry #poets #writing #reading

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Reposted by Robert J. Tiess

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · Jul 5

My #poem "The Infinite Anthology"

on #storytelling, mythic traditions, #odysseys beyond metaphors...

Text flows down 1st column up to the 2nd.

ALT text

+text link: allpoetry.com/poem/1851475...

#poetry #poems #stories #myths #mythology
#poetrycommunity #poetrylovers #journeys
#unity #literature

THE TITLE:
The Infinite Anthology

THE POEM:
Our stories launched before we've learned
to murmur something meaningful,
and they'll cruise on although we've ceased,
as authors or their characters
or even as an audience
acknowledging, remembering,
assembling mythologies,
our globe of interwoven tales,
heroic quests, odd voyages
from varied distant origins
and plots we cannot hope to scope
entirely while we dream, too,
through endings really episodes
or prefaces of other works
recorded independently
(though always most connectedly)
as breathing fictions, classic facts
communicated everywhere
through syllables, traditions, eyes
contributing perspectives to
this infinite anthology
that finds and binds and carries worlds
with us, our lost and dying lore,
old symbols, stanzas, metaphors,
then every embryonic phrase
that lives to gift an unborn ear
some proverb, sign, or parable
to whisper into memory
whatever bears repeating when
someone forgets these narratives
exist above demand, delay,
abridgment, much less censorship,
because they shall be free to speak
the worst or sweetest human times,
and choices made, unmade, reshaped,
biography's mixed chronicles
of quotes and footnotes linking all
with figures, actions, passages,
strange images, thick indexes
foreshadowing a future page
that seems, at last, beyond the past,
yet faintly echoes in its text
such running loves of poetry
of quarrying experience,
the marble of its mysteries,
and literary strata truths
still layering atop first words,
the pending lessons of the dead,
their spirits in our histories
which haunt behind our walling verse
in hopes of goading consciousness
of wisdoms unsaid, not yet read,
and epics left to send ahead,
beyond romances, monsters, grails,
now wind excites this silent sea,
revives our crafts of many sails,
and dares us toward discovering
where sagas reach reality.

END OF POEM

Poem by Robert J. Tiess Copyright © 2025

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Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 9d

My 5-Star No-Spoilers GoodReads Review of
Nikita Gill's HEKATE: THE WITCH:
www.goodreads.com/book/show/22...

The Book
www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/nikit...

About the Poet
www.instagram.com/nikita_gill

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikita_...

@nikitagill.bsky.social
#poetry #mythology #books #reviews

Hekate (Standard Edition)

In this stunning reimagining of Greek myth for fans of Circe and Lore, Nikita Gill showcases the underworld and its chthonic deities in all their glory, weav...

www.hachettebookgroup.com

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 9d

6/6

Well, I hope you enjoyed this stream of In Medias Res posts.

I think it's fun but important to consider these kinds of things.

Some links for more about IMR & Zeigeist:

www.britannica.com/art/in-media...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_medi...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist

#literature #poetry

In medias res - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 9d

5/6

No human, much less any writing, exists in a "perfect vacuum" apart from reality

--or simply as "an island," as metaphysical poet John Donne said.

Each idea, feeling, word exists "in the midst" of larger nested contexts.

For me, In Medias Res can characterize ALL our #literature and #poetry.

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 9d

4/6

Our writings also relate with personal experiences, expressions, and our socioeconomic contexts and times.

When we write, we contemplate moments, specific emotions or episodes, and we may even voice and preserve "zeitgeist" (the "spirit" of our day).

So many contexts!

#literature #poetry

Robert J. Tiess @robertjtiess.bsky.social · 9d

3/6

Nonfiction is also part of larger stories already in progress:

personal essays, bios, memoirs, histories...

Another example I used in the past is Earth:

our planet is full of tiny stories in larger contexts:

psychological, social, geological, ecological, cosmological...

#literature #poetry