The Two Boots Word Vault

On April 26, 2026 Dougie Padilla, Thomas R. Smith and myself were featured for a Como Cottage Poetry Scrum.  This is the first round for this non-competitive scrum. We had a great time, a phun time, as Dougie says.

On April 11, 2026 I presented a version of my take on Robert Bly's "The Vocation of Poetry and its Ten Labors" to the Australian group, The Fifth Direction. I gave examples of how poets respond to the ten labors, and a few opinions on why poets are so important to our cultural communities.  Walton Stanley, storyteller and co-presenter, gave a lead-in passage from Shakespeare's The Tempest, and he closed out the time with the preface from Walt Whitman's  The Leaves of Grass. Three of the best poets who have written in English, Shakespeare, Whitman, and Bly.

On March 26, 2026 Jesse Dermody, Scott Vetsch, and Timothy Young read poetry n their scrum format.  It was Timothy's first time in 40 years reading in Duluth, Minnesota. This time at Wussow's Concert Cafe. It was a pleasure to be back in the port city.

A Como Cottage Poetry Scrum featuring Michael Moos, Donna Isaac, Maureen Skelly, Timothy Young.

Maureen Skelly joined poets Donna Isaac, MIchael Moos, and Timothy Young for a Como Cottage Salon Poetry Scrum on February 22, 2026.

Donna Isaac joined poets Michael Moos, Maureen Skelly and me for the February 22, 2026 Como Cottage Salon Poetry Scrum.

Michael Moos joined Donna Isaac, Maureen Skelly and Timothy Young at the Como Cottage on February 22, 2026 for another Salon Poetry Scrum.

On February 22, 2026 a Como Cottage Salon Poetry Salon featured poets Michael Moos, Donna Isaac, Maureen Skelly, and Timothy Young with a musical introduction by violinist Dalyce Elliott Young.  This podcast is part one of five recordings from that Poetry Scrum.

At the 2026 Minnesota Men's Winter Conference, Standing in Awe of the Thundering Ice, I gave a short explanation on why I believe that poets and poetry are a moral force. Then I read a Jimmy Santiago Baca poem as my example.  And I honored my teacher, Robert Bly as another example by calling out his name.

This episode is a live recording of the third movement of Dan Cavanagh's Mississippi Ecstasy.   Dan, a 2001 graduate of St. Olaf's College,  conducted all three movements with the St. Olaf Jazz Orchestra on May 3, 2013.  He had used my poem as a prompt for his composition.  We recorded the three movements for his first CD, Pulse, for OA2 Records in 2008.  The poem was published in my 2010 book, Herds of Bears Surround Us.

The is a special episode to begin season 3 of The Two Boots Word Vault Podcast. It is a recording of a reading I did on May 9,1990 with my friend and publisher, Jim Dochniak. Jim published my first broadside Men Don't Dance in America in 1983. I didn't know him at the time. Meridel LeSueur had herd me read the poem at an open reading at the Greater Midwestern Book Show and commanded Jim to publish the poem. This 1990 reading took place at the bookstore owned by my friend, Anthony Signorelli.  That evening in Tony's bookshop Jim introduced my to Scott King, who eventually published four of my poetry collections. This was a very special reading for me, and the only time Jim and I read together.

Bryce Black, Yata Peinovich, and Timothy Young with Bruce Hecksel lead guitar, piano, and percussion, Julie Hecksel background vocals, and Dalyce Elliott violin. Recorded by Dallas Egger. Set list for this podcast: Mississippi River Chant, Grey Goose, What I Need, This Fire I Am, My Black Guitar, My Heart is Your Home, River Song, and Peace, Salaam, Shalom.

On November 9, 2025 Como Cottage Salons hosted poets Thomas R. Smith, Scott Vetsch, Jesse Dermody and Timothy Young for a poetry scrum. Cris Anderson recorded the event and this podcast is the second half of the day. Thanks, Cris.

From our 2011 CD Perfect Harmony, three poems with musical accompaniment, one by Hafiz, two by Ibn Hazm

Thomas R. Smith has been a poetry friend of mine since 1981. We've been reading together ever since. He joined Jesse Dermody, Scott Vetsch, and me for a Como Cottage Salon Poetry Scrum on November 9, 2025.

On November 9, 2025 The Como Cottage Salon Series hosted a poetry scrum with Jesse Dermody, Scott Vetsch, Thomas R. Smith and Timothy Young. Before the scrum, each read the poems of their choice for about 10 minutes. Here is Jesse's contribution.

The Como Cottage Salon on November 9, 2025 featured a poetry scrum, hosted by Timothy Young.  Featured readers  were Scott Vetsch, Jesse Dermody, Thomas R. Smith and Timothy Young.

Rappers are not the only freestyling poets.  Here is an example of one poem I freestyled in December 2017 while the SpiritHouse Quartet played at a Como Cottage Salon.   Later with slight editing, I prepared the poem for publication.

This episode is my telling of a Metis tale, Little Man with Hair All Over. I used to tell a version of this tale to my son when he was a boy.  This version is a recording from my telling to The Fifth Direction Men's Elder Circle.

In 2019 Dalyce and I produced an after-dinner program for her sister and friends  at the Crave restaurant. We put together a program of poetry, music, and storytelling for their enjoyment and relaxation. 

Here are six poems prompted by pictures of horses painted in the Caves of Lascaux.  The first three I read for the Elder Circle of the mythopoetic group, The Fifth Direction, on October 2, 2025.  The final three are read from the book.

This episode is a recording of a poetry reading at the 1988 Minnesota Men's Conference at Camp Lake Hubert in Nisswa, MN.  John Lang and I were introduced  by Todd Davis.  Roy McBride and Thomas R. Smith also read that evening and were featured in an earlier podcast, number 28.

This is my version of the creation story with Raven comes from the Pacific Northwest. This telling specifically is from the Haida people, as provided by the transcription by the poet and writer Robert Bringhurst.  I told this tale to the Australian-based Fifth Direction mythopoetic community's Men's Elder Circle. 

Timothy Young with SpiritHouse Quartet December 9, 2017. Here is some extracted poetry with music, performed at the 80th Como Cottage Salon.Gary Waryan tablas, Dalyce Elliott Young, violin, Michelle Kinney, cello, Jeff Waryan, guitar, Timothy Young, recitation.

The 1988 Minnesota Men's Conference was especially potent. The headliners were Robert Bly, James Hillman, Robert Moore, and Etheridge Knight. Bly's presentations focused on the deep meanings in William Blake's poetry.  I was one of the organizers that year and I was able to bring in poets Roy McBride and Thomas Smith. This is a recording of their part of an evening of poetry.

Since 2020 Walton Stanley and I have told and discussed important folktales and read important poetry with the Australian-based international mythopoetic community, The Fifth Direction. Our monthly sessions have been deliciously profound and we have made great friends through this connection.  If Walton tells a story I read a poem or two.  If I tell a tale, Walton reads poems.   The poems read here are Guardian Angel  by Rolf Jacobsen, For Eli Jacobson, Dec. 1952, by Kenneth Rexroth, a portion of A Dialogue of Self and Soul, by W.B. Yeats, The Thief  by Alden Nowlan, The Swan, by Rainier Rilke, a portion of Canto by Fernando Pessoa, Someone Digging in the Ground by Rumi. 

n 1986 my wife, Carol Ringer, and I produced a television documentary on the history of St. Paul's Frogtown neighborhood through the support of the Frogtown History Project, the Frogtown Community Assoiciation, and The Compass Community Arts Fun.  She was the videographer. On a very small budget we created a television program which aired on KTCA public television in 1989.  The video is available on my YouTube channel, timtwoboots.

In 1993 this poem was recorded at the Minnesota Men's Conference on Lake Hubert, in north central Minnesota.  This version was read straight, without the usual musical accompaniment or hyperbolic enthusiasm.  I love this version, too.

Thanks to Ted King and Tom Cassidy with Tributary Reading Series for inviting me to read.  The original poem is usually a half-hour reading time, so I had to cut a few verses.  But you get the feel.

For over 40 years this Coyote tale from the Pacific Coast has intrigued me. In May 2025 I was able to tell it to the Elder Circle of the Internation Fifth Direction Mythopoetic Community based in Australia.

On March 16, 2019 Hardy Coleman was one of several poets who read at the Seeing Them Home: A Reading for the Ancestors hosted by Maureen Skelly. Hardy joined the ancestors himself on March 26, 2024.

On July 30, 2025 four poets were invited to read their work on the effects of war on the soul. Three were veterans, Frank Gioa, George Colburn, and Jessi Marie. I am not a veteran and represented those who share the suffering brought on by the effects of war.

While preparing for the 2025 Minnesota Men's Conference I spoke with poets, Jonathan Stensland and Jesse Dermody, about the value of poetry at our conferences, and at the personal level.  It was a delightful conversation.

The Swan of Tuonela is a story of a hero initiated into the maturity of living as a man, and his relationships to the powerful feminine.

On March 16, 2019 the poet, Maureen Skelly, hosted a Celebration of Ancestors at the Walker Church in South Minneapolis. Numerous musicians and poets and a quilter celebrated family and ancestors. These are four of the readers, Maureen, Rebecca Paradis, Mike Finley, and myself.  

Often I am lucky to recite poems with the accompaniment of the SpiritHouse Quartet. Their unique music is the perfect container for poems. This song with two poems, one by the Persian saint, Attar, and one of my own was recorded at the Como Cottage Salon on April 21, 2017.  Spirithouse Quartet is comprised of Gary Waryan on tablas, Michelle Kinney on cello, Jeff Waryan on guitar, and Dalyce Elliott Young on violin.

The Midstream Reading Series has been a favorite series for Minnesota poets ever since David Shove began the series in 2013. After his passing in 2019 a number of other hosts picked up the load to continue this series.  I have been fortunate enough to read in 2014, 2018, 2020, and in 2022. Dave invited me in 2014 and 2018, Diane Jarvenpa invited me in 2020 and 2022.

I am lucky I get to recite poems with the accompaniment of the SpiritHouse Quartet. Their unique music is the perfect container for poems. This song, Freida, with two poems, my own The Glass Brick and my version of the 11th century Andalusian poet, Abu Bakr al-Turtushi, was recorded at the Como Cottage Salon April 21, 2017.  Spirithouse Quartet is comprised of Gary Waryan on tablas, Michelle Kinney on cello, Jeff Waryan on guitar, and Dalyce Elliott Young on violin.

For a couple weeks in 2008, thanks to the storyteller Martin Shaw, I traveled to the United Kingdom's West Country with a "brigand band of poets and musicians". We appeared at a festival, on the radio, in coffeehouses, schools, in the wilds, and in churches. The entire crew consisted of Robert Bly, Gioia Timpanelli, Thomas R. Smith, Danny Deardorff, Judith-Kate Friedman, Tim Frantzich, Paul Frantzich, and Jay Leeming.

Shortly after the second election of an artless president, the Como Cottage hosted a salon of poetry, a scrum honoring the deeper art of grace and humor with words. This scrum featured Thomas R. Smith, Michael Moos, Scott Vetsch, and Timothy Young.   

Many of my poems are reactions to or inspired by music and musicians. This section from my book, Herds of Bears Surround Us, is titled Blue Music from the Star Cafe.   The Star Cafe was a small cafe and bar in Stockholm, Wisconsin, along the Mississippi River, where travelling musicians often stopped for a short gig. 

Many of my poems are reactions to or inspired by music and musicians. This section from my book, Herds of Bears Surround Us, is titled Blue Music from the Star Cafe.   The Star Cafe was a small cafe and bar in Stockholm, Wisconsin, along the Mississippi River, where travelling musicians often stopped for a short gig. 

Often I am lucky to recite poems with the accompaniment of the SpiritHouse Quartet. Their unique music is the perfect container for poems. This song HIDDEN PEARL with two poems, one by Rumi, and one of my own, plus poignant teaching words by Marti'n Prechtel, was recorded at the Como Cottage Salon April 21, 2017. The Quartet includes Dalyce Elliott Young, violin, Jeff Waryan, guitar, Michelle Kinney, cello, and Gary Waryan, tablas.

Each year at the Minnesota Men's Conference, each day begins with poetry. Men read and hear poems aimed at the masculine soul. This recording is from the first morning of the 2012 Conference, Bears at the Tree of Slumbering Honey. Danny Deardorff, Martin Shaw, Thomas R. Smith, myself, Doug Von Koss, and Tom Gambell read.

In 2007 Robert Bly introduced me before I read for the Minnesota Men's Conference. This was one of my favorite readings. A number of the poems were published in my second book, Herds of Bears Surround Us published by Red Dragonfly Press in 2010.

On January 20, 2024 The Tributary Reading Series hosted a literary tribute to the great Minnesota writer, Frederick Manfred. This is the second of two recordings from that tribute at the MCN6 TV studio in Minneapolis.  

On January 20, 2024 The Tributary Reading Series hosted a literary tribute to the great Minnesota writer, Frederick Manfred. This is the first of two recordings from that tribute at the MCN6 TV studio in Minneapolis.  

On April 11, 2025, I spent the evening reading poems and telling two stories about my predicaments as a young man in Mexico and Alaska. Soul-singer David Ballman provided an acapella Soul-chorus commentary, and an percussion egg.  Thanks to Loren Niemi and Christine Mounts for providing the stage at the American School of Storytelling.

This is a recording from April 27, 2019 at the 92nd Como Cottage Salon.