Most of my creative journeys begin with an essay — a space where I explore ideas, questions, and emotions. From there, the words often grow into podcast episodes, songs, and videos, each medium adding its own voice to the story. It’s a process of transformation, where a single spark of thought can unfold into a rich, multi-layered experience.
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My latest thoughts
- We Didn’t … you loved anyway.Before anything was written, there was a voice that stayed. Not above. With. Breath given. A world without distance. And one instruction simple enough to lose: love. Love what made you. Love what stands next to you. We didn’t. We chose what shines. We chose what wins. We chose ourselves.… Read more: We Didn’t … you loved anyway.
- End of the Road (But Not Quite)A few moments before my 60th birthday in February, I wrote something. Not really a poem. Not quite an essay. Something in between. It was shaped by what I was seeing, especially events unfolding in the United States. And if I’m honest, not much has changed for the better since.… Read more: End of the Road (But Not Quite)
- One poem. One dawn. Many languages | A multilingual Haiku on the Middle EastA haiku. Three lines. One moment. In this episode of Musical Poetry, the same poem is spoken across multiple languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and Persian. The journey moves toward the Middle East, ending in a quiet Persian stanza where only one word remains: Sahar –… Read more: One poem. One dawn. Many languages | A multilingual Haiku on the Middle East
- on the Nile, before the lockIn this episode of Musical Poetry, Michael Appelt reflects on one of the most powerful travel experiences of his life: one unforgettable week in Egypt. From the Pyramids of Giza and the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), to the monumental temples of Abu Simbel near Aswan, relocated in a… Read more: on the Nile, before the lock
- Nothing beside remainsWhen power grows impatient with restraint, poetry remembers. This episode of Musical Poetry brings together three voices from three centuries in a single musical conversation: Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley, written in the shadow of Napoleon’s fall, reflecting on power after history has passed judgment. The Second Coming by W.… Read more: Nothing beside remains
- The Darkling Thrush, by Thomas HardyThese are the days between Christmas and New Year, when celebration has faded, time slows, and the future has not yet begun. In this episode of Musical Poetry, we present “The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy. Written at the very end of 1900 and first published in 1901, the poem… Read more: The Darkling Thrush, by Thomas Hardy
- Declare it now, war is over!This war continues because silence continues. If you have a vote, you have a voice. Use it. Go to your elected representative. Tell them: Enough. Stop the war now.
- Dulce et Decorum EstThe bells of war are sounding louder again and yet, have they ever really stopped? In this episode of Musical Poetry, we present Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen, one of the most powerful anti-war poems ever written. Owen wrote this poem during the First World War, after witnessing… Read more: Dulce et Decorum Est
- Christina Rossetti’s – A Christmas CarolImmerse yourself in the quiet beauty of Christmas with this special episode of Musical Poetry. Today’s reading features Christina Rossetti’s beloved poem “A Christmas Carol” — better known by its opening line, “In the bleak midwinter.” Through tender words and timeless imagery, Rossetti captures the holiness of a winter night,… Read more: Christina Rossetti’s – A Christmas Carol
- A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke MooreIn this festive edition of Musical Poetry, Michael invites the ever-charming Opa Cohen to open and close the episode with his warm, storytelling voice. Together, they bring to life one of the most beloved Christmas poems of all time: “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore.Set against gentle… Read more: A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore
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Michael Appelt 