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About B Gourley

Bernie Gourley is a writer living in Bangalore, India. His poetry collection, Poems of the Introverted Yogi is now available on Amazon. He teaches yoga, with a specialization in pranayama, and holds a RYT500 certification. For most of his adult life, he practiced martial arts, including: Kobudo, Muay Thai, Kalaripayattu, and Taiji. He is a world traveler, having visited more than 40 countries around the globe.

Gods & Monsters [Free Verse]

Photograph of an ornately carved stone block on Doddagaddavalli Lakshmi Devi Temple in Karnataka, India.
the lion wind blows.

all about is rippling chaos,
but for the goddess
who dances in the
furious center,
pausing on one foot
as the dust swirls
in angry spasms.

Smash Fist [Senryū]

Photograph of Netravati Peak in Karnataka, India.
where hill meets clouds: 
knuckles of a Hulk-like fist
spark a daydream.

DAILY PHOTO: Three Views of Mysore Palace

Photograph of Mysore Palace with flower garden in Karnataka, India from the northeast corner.
Photograph: Front-facing view of Mysore Palace in Karnataka, India.
Photograph: Mysore Palace from the southeast corner.

Cheetah Speed [Lyric Poem]

Photograph of a Cheetah taken at the Mysore Zoo in Karnataka, India.
Swiftly sprints the slender Cheetah,
running smoothly as Velveeta.
But right now it can't rouse its feet-ah,
and slogs just like a Walmart Greet-ah.

PROMPT: Perspective on Life

Daily writing prompt
How do significant life events or the passage of time influence your perspective on life?

Becoming less afraid of death makes one bolder, but being more prone to stay injured for extended periods makes one more cautious. Maybe it all just equals out.

Meerkat Lecture [Lyric Poem]

Meerkats: Taken at the Mysore Zoo in Karnataka, India.
Please allow me a conjecture:
One Meerkat stood to give lecture,
But as with me, as a pupil,
Other Meerkats lacked the scruple
To make a show of listening,
Finding the walls more interesting.

Mountain Dance [Senryū]

Photograph taken near George Everest Peak, outside of Mussoorie, India.
in the mountains:
vivid & invisible
are dance partners.

DAILY PHOTO: Brahma Bull and Other Pastoral Scenes

A Brahma Bull in a pasture outside of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India.
Photograph of grazing cattle in a pasture near Mussoorie, India.
Photograph of cattle grazing in a pasture surrounded by evergreen trees near Mussoorie, India.

Mountain Road [Common Meter]

Photograph taken on Lal Tibba Road in Mussoorie, Uttrakhand, India.
The mountain road is sometimes flat,
but it's not ever straight.
It winds through woods -- so deep and dark --
but where spotlights await.

PROMPT: To-Do List

Daily writing prompt
Something on your “to-do list” that never gets done.

The writing of a “to-do list.”