Foreword Dear Friend, I am the Father of 11 Children, and the Grand Father of 8 more, so when i consider the plight of our children in our world today, i am deeply concerned about not only their well being, but their happiness. I think the world today steals the precious moments of childhood in so many ways with all the Social Issues, Abuse, and Molestation that can potentially affect our treasures. This for me is very saddening, for i had the opportunity to be a Child in the purest of senses. Perhaps we can attribute our own awareness to the instantaneousness of our modern day world system of communication with such things as the Internet, Tablets and Smart Phone. If nothing else our awareness of the challenges that face our children and that of the future generations to come becomes that more poignant. This month we at The Year of the Poet, for the first time selected a theme for our monthly offering of May 2014. Our theme is simply Our Children. We are addressing via our individual perspectives the challenges they face in our 'modern' day society. Our aim si simply to elevate the awareness and perhaps motivate others to action. Yes, we must change, and that is the focus of our works as conscious Human Beings and Conscious Poets. There are some great minds contained in this month's offering and we do hope not only do you enjoy our work, but that you pass it on. All of our Books are available for a Free Download at the Inner Child Press Web Site. http: //www.innerchildpress.com/the-year-of-the-poet.php Feel free to share our works and "Pay It Forward" Print copies are available direct for just $5.00. Thank you Bless Up bill

Preface Notes from the Coffee Table appeared at my doorstep of consciousness unexpectantly. Being a Writer / Poet, i pride myself on my listening abilities. I love being observant, hoping to gather some inspiration to continue expressing, not only myself from my experiential perspectives, but in hopes to write something that is more far reaching than the "Me." I believe Notes from the Coffee Table is just that type of Creative Offering. Everyone experiences Change. Some changes are prolific and some are subtle. When life calls for us to experience more dramatic changes such as exemplified by way of Relationship, Death and a few other potential Life Altering situations, we become introspective. In Notes from the Coffee Table i was able to tap into my own experiences of having a Life Mate / Wife transition as well as having to go through the ending of other meaningful relationships. Every time i have found myself surrounded with a myriad of Questions, Thoughts and Emotions. Here in Notes from the Coffee Table, i am sharing such introspective, retrospective and circumspective pondering. Most of us either have or will experience this at times in our life. My objective and intent is but to perhaps touch something in the reader that is common to us all. In that, hopefully someone will be able to take the short cut toward self reconciliation. Blessed Be bill

Preface Throughout my Creative Writing and Speaking journey, i have always had a special place in my psyche for messages. When it comes to Poetry, it, Messages along with Love are the predominant topics of my expressions. I have always felt that understanding things was essential to the lowering of my "Angst Index." This collection of work found in The Vine Keeper is such a work. My intent is that it will assist the reader in their own journey. It is not that i proclaim to provide the answers another may be seeking, but perhaps you will find the questions that help you recognize that you already possess all that you need within you. I too am a Seeker, and i have been since the formative years of my thinking and the acknowledgment of the structure of this world with it's Rite and Rote and various other Dogmas and Indoctrination that does not necessarily provide me any particular insight to the questions we all ask at one time or another. Bill