Franklin Abbott

 I love words. I love the sound of words and the shape of words in space. I especially love words written by hand in paragraphs or patterns and words spoken by heart or sung a cappella or chanted in unison. For me poetry is prayer and prayer is poetry. I believe words can balm wounds and heal souls. I believe that language and song were invented for those reasons. Whether written in Latin script, Arabic calligraphy or Chinese characters I believe the shape and sound of words is what bridges the natural world and the world of spirit and imagination. This is how I can say what I do not know and know what I cannot say. This is how words make magic out of mystery and mystery out of magic. This is why I am both honored and blessed to be a poet. 

Franklin Abbott's collection of poetry, MORTAL LOVE: SELECTED POEMS 1971 -1998, is available from RFD Press and can be ordered online. His most recent anthology BOYHOOD: GROWING UP MALE is available through The University of Wisconsin Press and is also available online. Franklin is also a licensed clinical social worker with a private practice in psychotherapy with offices in Atlanta and Grayson, Georgia and can be reached at 404-874-8294. He offers workshops in healing and language, creativity and men's issues. His website for his practice and workshops is Windhorse Rising Workshops . He can also be reached at franklin@theninthmuse.com .