Treasuring Poetry – Meet poet, Ray Whitaker, and a review

Today, I am delighted to welcome poet and editor of Masticadores Canada, Ray Whitaker, as my September Treasuring Poetry guest. You can find Masticadores Canada here: https://masticadorescanada.wordpress.com/ and the general submission guidelines are here: https://masticadorescanada.wordpress.com/submissions-guidelines/.

Tell us a bit about Ray Whitaker and your journey to becoming a poet.

All writers and poets are writing out of “the Self” however there are directions that the self speaks into, that change. Now Ray’s writing is to put foremost in his work, just who he is writing for. He intends on writing for the everyday man and woman. He firmly believes that poems need to reach into the everyday person’s pictures in their minds, and engage with those. This is where he aims to make a difference in his creative writing. He’s fulfilled when he sees that his work is provoking thought in his readers. Ray has six books published, and two chapbooks. His work has been published in fourteen different countries. He’s working on two new manuscripts now.

Ray was a Delegate to both the 2023-24 Writer’s International Panorama Festival in January, and is a Delegate to the 2025 Festival He participates regularly with several zoom poetic events worldwide. Among them, he has been spotlighted on a US National Poetry broadcast from Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio In April, ’24; and also an International Poetry Recital hosted by The Fertile Minds out of India this past April 19th, 2025. In May ‘26 he was the reading featured poet in David Leo Sirois’ Spoken Word Online, associated with Spoken Word Paris. He was a one of the featured Poets on Mayori Literature associated
with Poetry Global Network this past August. He is Moderator for Michael Lee Johnson’s FB “My Voice,Your Words- Poetry In Action” page; and Editor for Masticadores Canada Journal.

Can be found at FB: Whitjr1, his personal website is “raywhitakerpoet.com” and at Masticadores Canada. wordpress.masticadores.canada.com

What is your favourite style for writing poems and why?

I have to say that my favorite style, or form, of poetry writing is American Freestyle. I do not stick to a particular form, which is how I have lived my life as well. Being rather disciplined about being un-disciplined, I have continually engaged this “form” as a Poet.

I have written poems in several different forms. However, do not consider the sonnets I have written to fine examples of that form. Haiku is another form, that I feel my works are pretty good.

If I ever take a Masters degree in Creative Writing, it is possible that that educational endeavor will expose me to the many other forms of Poetry. Here, I must also say that I have a difficult time considering myself as a “Poet”. I am well-read in preceding poets, altho there are many I still intend to read the work of. I am continually humbled by the Men and Women Poets that have walked before me. There is a part of me that resides in comparison with these acclaimed individuals, and I always wonder how history will judge my work.

Which of your own poem is your favourite?

Ahh, this is a hard Q to answer.

I have a handful of poems that I consider especially near and dear. You want one to suffice to answer this Q. So I will attempt to choose one!
After much soul searching, here are two [I simply cannot choose one!]:
The first piece, NO WAR, is a honest memorial to my own Father. Written many years ago. He was my hero, as I was coming along, and even to this day. His examples still resides in me, those of courage, determination, resilience and ability.

The second piece, BLACK BISON, is a current favorite of mine. Written last month, in August. It reflects a couple of my loves:
–my memories of dreams, that I write down every morning after waking.
–my love for Nature and it’s remarkable diversity, my awe of God’s creations.

NO WAR

My Father did not plant fruit trees
or a garden with any sort of vegetable,
like a tomato plant, or peppers.

It was I that planted, harvested all of that.

His example did not lodge with me
never having flown down from the sky
wrapped in a fighter plane

machine guns blazing towards a ground confined enemy
they there, trembling in fear, hiding from
his bullets and bombs thrown while in God’s bubble.

I loved him so, yet my path differed

the healing arts chose me as sure as water churns in rapids
born unafraid of cleaning up lacerations, wiping blood from torn flesh
when someone’s life was seeping away

staunching the flow
with giving a damn ever present, it was
acceptable risk to be in combat with purulent infection

.
He was a great man even having never planted a plum tree

his bravery and deciding loving family decisions made
did lodge with me, so it is now that he is gone
as it was when he, my best friend, was still here amongst us

his courage tempered my abundant compassion
like the wind rippling the fall colors
in an autumn high plains field.

I can’t fly a fighter plane
or command a tactical sortie in dive bombing a bridge

I have come home with blood on my scrubs tho
bearing stains from other’s wounds, having worked
like a mule plowing furrows, towards healing Life’s casualties

and I have planted plum trees, some were for him
his face peering out from the green leaves
feeling his hands on the shovel with mine.

BLACK BISON
Out of the grey mists of dreams
he approached me
friendly, stepping carefully
to stand silently beside
nuzzled me in friendship
no words were spoken
even so, there was a communication
on these green grassy plains
daylight, now under a blue sky
few clouds going where they will
a sudden gentle breeze blew
while we were standing together.

I put my arm around his great neck
a loving embrace
like between two friends,
a closeness unrivaled
beast and human
not threatening
as in a natural place
without fear.

Black bison then spoke to me
out of the times and places
his story was quite clear
about the millions of his clan murdered
for skins and bones,
of the mountains of skulls piled,
and the shock
of The First Peoples.

Then we spoke about the strength of endurance
the hidden qualities of independent self reliance
the answered prayers when abundance appeared
of prosperity
a sign of depth
a grounding for the unknown future.
There was no longer a mist about,
dapper sunlight beat down
upon our faces.
A sense of purpose
towards the highest
those hunting grounds of the conscious,
the resilience of the qualities of twoness
our eyes met, again
speaking, Human
told Bison of the path
toward that place
where thoughts were as a dream

when The Peace was sought and found
there Human and Bison lived together
and did not have
the hypocrisy of carelessness
of the weakness producing impatience
of oversensitive intolerance
where prayers were for the tremendous events
within the Great Mystery.

Which poem by another poet is your favourite?

Another difficult Q to answer. Did you stay up nights dreaming up Q’s that were incredibly rich, for folks like us to answer?

I have around 150 books of Poetry on my library shelves. There are many from The Dead Poets Society [credit given to Robin William’s movie by the same name], as well as the flock of remarkable Poets writing today. I really love many of them.

Among them, I should mention a few of my “Poet Heroes.” These are the Poets I really love, their many works, and are the ones I am going to choose that answer to this incredibly difficult Q. They are The Irishman Seamus Heaney, the American Billy Collins, the Swede Tomas Transtormer, the Native American N.
Scott Momaday, the American Woman Mary Oliver…. are but a few.
You really are going to make me choose one…. hmmm….
I recently lost a Dear Cousin, and was asked to read a poem at her funeral. This is the one, by Tomas Transtormer:

THE HALF FINISHED HEAVEN, by Tomas Transtormer
from his book by the same name, 2001, Greywolf Press, pp 23.

Cowardice breaks off on its path.
Anguish breaks off on its path.
The vulture breaks off in its flight.

The eager light runs into the open
even ghosts take a drink.

And our paintings see the air,
red beasts of ice-age studios.

Everything starts to look around.
We go out in the sun by hundreds.

Every person is a half-open door
leading to a room for everyone.

The endless field under us.

Water glitters in the trees.

The lake is a window into the earth.

What’s next for Ray Whitaker?

I have discovered a new true love in my late sixties. It isn’t a Woman; I have been lucky enough to have two real loves with significant Women in my Life. Both of them are gone now. Now in my seventies, it is the writing of poems. In my mantra of undisciplined discipline, I choose to do something creative every day.

So, look for a new book of poems most every year, a regular highlighting of other Poets worth reading, and a developing interest in getting out there -Globally- with my own Poems.

My review of Animals by Ray Whitaker

I have enjoyed some of this poet’s writing on-line so I was pleased to see he had some published collections. When I saw the title and blurb for Animals I was thrilled as I am a huge animal lover. I was not disappointed as this book is packed full of wonderful tributes to the fauna that inhabits Ray Whitaker’s world. The collection also features glorious word pictures of the landscapes comprising the eastern range of the Rockies in Colorado. I have never visited this part of the world but the poet’s descriptions left me feeling as if I was experiencing it all in person.

The poems cover a wide range of experiences of the natural kingdom from rare and shy wild animals to domestic pets and also working animals. One of the poems about the amazing relationship between a dog and his human that has stayed with me is Warrior Loves a Dog. This is a short extract from this powerful poem:
“he and his dog sense
they could be, just perhaps
are but one in the present
and also in the past,
bridging a Love so absent
in those red enemy skies”

On the other side of the coin of the animal world are wild creatures in the wilderness. This extract is from a poem called In a Tent on the Bear Preserve and captures the joy of camping in a bear preserve and experiencing a bear in its natural environment from a close proximity:
“The Black Bear walked nearby on the lake’s rocky shore,
Careless in moving stones about
her tracks distinguish, define
there are no fish to catch in this place.
The tracks move away from where the waves lap
vanishing as silent as a leaf falling in the wood.”

Other poems pay tribute to the rivers and mountains. One such poem is Two Rivers which describes the power of two rivers meeting and joining forces becoming “one mighty flow.”

There are also some reflections on the benefits of engaging with nature and embracing its harmony and peace. Walking That Old Road Again is one such poem and I loved this verse:
“You can sit on the place of the broad, open bank
with your feet in the water
sunlight and water splashing on wet toes, it’s just sterling
wondering where next is it you need to go,
to continue to grow,
which path is there, to take you to destiny cares.”

A beautiful collection that will bring peace and gratitude into your heart and soul.

Purchase Animals by Ray Whitaker from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/ANIMALS-Poems-Ray-Whitaker/dp/B0F3TYTCFN

About Ray Whitaker

I have long aspired to be a writer since I was young. Throughout my writing journey, I struggled with finding my voice. When I wrote my first fantasy book Dragon’s Breath I discovered my voice for the first time. Writing fantasy for young adults has become a passion of mine. I hope to create more work in the future that people can enjoy. With enough hard work and effort, anyone can archive their goals.

About Robbie Cheadle

South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.

Get Your Copy Today!

Poetry Treasures: https://books2read.com/PoetryTreasures

Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships: https://books2read.com/PT2-Relationships

Poetry Treasures 3: Passions: https://books2read.com/u/b5qnBR

Poetry Treasures 4:In Touch With Nature: https://books2read.com/PT4-Nature

Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures: https://books2read.com/PT5-SmallPleasures

Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons: https://books2read.com/PT6Seasons