Title: Poet , Author and Essayist

Gender: Male

Age: 62

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Chinese Sign: Fire Boar

Location: Franklin Tennessee

Howard (Hal) Thomas Manogue was born in Philadelphia, and is a forerunner to the Indigo children, a now age term for misfit with an intuitive nature, a desire to know his truth with a gift of giving and sharing. Hal retired from the shoe industry after 35 years of sole searching, and discovered his real soul.

 He enjoys art, music, philosophy, psychology, nature and people.

His poems have been published by: Mystic Pop Magazine, Children Of The New Earth Magazine, New Age Tribune, Seasons Of The Soul Newsletters, New World View, Lightship News and Writers In The Sky Newsletters.

His essays can be found on http://www.ezinearticles.com/, http://www.authorsden.com/, http://www.faceyourself.com/, http://www.jasonsnetwork.com/,    http://www.ascension.net/, http://www.selfgrowth.com/ and 0ver 1000 sites other around the world. Hal's Blog and Website: http://halmanogue.blogspot.com/ http://www.shortsleeves.net/

He lives in Franklin Tennessee.

Hal's new book Short Sleeves Insights: Live An Ordinary Life In A Non-Ordinary Way was published in May 2008. Visit any book store or Hal's website to get a copy. Hal's third Collection Of poetry: Short Sleeves A Book For Friends was published in July 2008.

A Poets Journey: From the Noise to the Quiet!

The journey through time has so many roads to experience. My journey as you might expect is no different. I had so many choices to experience so I decided to take a turn off my chosen road and venture into a completely new world. I love to write early on in life. It was the one thing that I felt comfortable doing, but I saw no future in it or should I say no money in it. I wanted money and lots of it so I quit school and started to chase the money.

Somehow I landed a job selling shoes and for 25 years I thought the shoe business was my ticket to riches and a retirement filled with all the luxuries money can buy. The shoe business was the perfect vehicle to meet people and make money. Traveling nationwide and working in Asia, Europe and Brazil, taught me so many valuable life lessons. I have been blessed with wonderful friends all over the globe. I have been able to create inerasable memories and lasting bonds.

 Yes, my life was externally comfortable but I still wondered what I was doing. I could not see the point of this me by what I had been taught, experienced or remembered. The thought of how I appeared to others was more important than self worth. I was plagued with the same situations we all face in one form or another; addiction to or from something, an inner fear of not being good enough and guilty for not understanding why. Of course the Death word was the ultimate fear for me and for everyone around me.  I knew all of this was manifesting in various physical forms, weight gain or loss, injuries, health issues and off course not having enough of anything; I wanted it all!

In 1996 my mother died. My world stopped. She devoted her life to her family and her religion. Being raised in a devout Irish Catholic home she learned she could love and trust her God as long as she followed the teachings of the church. She believed.  I struggled with rules and authority so her path and mine on religion were different.  Mom loved her God and prayed that when she died she would be reconnected with him as well as all those who had gone before her. I had no idea what to say to God.

 I now know her prayers were answered and more but at the time of her death, I felt alone for the first time in my life. It was all about me. She was gone. Who or what but Mother would do what she did for me?

 Feeling completely separated from her I wanted answers, I wanted her back. I turned to philosophy beginning with Plato, Aristotle, Heraclitus, Plotinus, Lao-Tzu, Nagarjuna, Buddha, Confucius, and Augustine. I started studying psychology and noticed anytime the author wanted to project a thought he would use poetry.  I never had an interest in poetry; I didn't own a book of poetry.

  One poet continued to be quoted in the books I studied. His name is Jalaluddin Rumi, better known as Rumi, who lived in Turkey in the mid-1200's. His family were scholars and theologians and they dedicated their lives to teaching. His words seem to call me so I bought my first poetry book.

Rumi's writings completely took over my thoughts. While reading his work I realized my life would never be the same again. It was in reading Rumi's words and his unending search for Shams of Tabriz, that I felt Mother's closeness and connection.

Then I Discovered Rilke, Blake, Goethe, Dante, Dickinson Takahashi, John Paul II and other Eastern and Western poets. In all of these friends, I found the same message regardless of the time portal: That love of self, reconnecting with my inner consciousness, brings love to all life.

 In order to love and to give the gift, I first had to be the vessel that held love for all things. In love there is no death only eternal life. Our loved ones live and always will.

Our inner voices are connected in one. There is no separation after physical death.

This is the kind of message I've heard all my life, but it was Mom's complete connection with God that opened a door for me thru poetry. I looked and all I needed to do was enter. I had to forgive myself so I could forgive others. I was looking to others for help, before I helped myself. The answers sit within me.

I create the world I live in either connected to my spirit or feeling separated from it.

Separation is no longer an option. I am never alone living in spirit. No one is.

 At that point I found myself completely immersed in writing; the love I neglected for over thirty years was standing before me ready to reconnect with me. Mom was there with me gently nudging me to remember who I am. She held out the road sign, al I had to do was follow it, and I did.

I retire from the shoe business and started writing full time. I write poetry and essays. My collection of poetry: Short Sleeves Spirit Songs is published every year. My new book of essays: Short Sleeves Insights: Live an Ordinary life in a Non-Ordinary way was published in May 2008. I write a daily blog and my work has been published all over the world.

The funny thing is I don't do it for the money, I do it to reconnect to my inner consciousness and I do it to feel Mom's presence. She is right here with me as I write this and I can hear her saying: “In between the noise there is the quiet where abundance, peace and love shower you with unity and the choice to be free.” 

 That kind of quiet is filled with the noise of love and it is filled with the eternal luxury of oneness.

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