The Common Thread Show, Valley Heritage Radio, 98.7FM

The innovative, weekly Common Thread Show presents an hour of music based on a theme… and I have the honour of being named the show’s Poet Laureate! On a regular basis, I’ll be reading a poem in keeping with the musical theme, and host Coyote Slim will pair the poem “with a reflective sound bed.”

Wednesdays, 6-7pm Eastern: https://www.valleyheritageradio.ca/ You can stream live from wherever you are!

Coming Up

I’ll be back on the show in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, check out the VHR VAULT for past programs when I read a poem:

In the Vault

Can’t listen live? To access past shows, go to https://www.valleyheritageradio.ca/ and click on VHR VAULT. Click on WEDNESDAY to find the Common Thread Show. Look for the dates below to hear a poem from me! (The poem appears in the first 15-minute segment of the show, unless otherwise noted.)

QUICK FACTS ABOUT FIBONACCI:
• Medieval mathematician
• Lived in Italy approximately 1170 to 1250.
• Real name Leonardo Pisano Bogollo. (Fibonacci a nickname, meaning “son of Bonacci”)
• His Liber abaci (Book of the Abacus) the first European work with Indian and Arabian mathematics, using Hindu-Arabic numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0. (These numerals a profound break with previous methods of counting (using an abacus); paved the way for development of algebra.)
FIBONACCI DAY is November 23 (1123, part of the sequence!)
CLICK HERE for more on Fibonacci and his number.

Wednesday, August 12: Country music takes the lead this week as the Common Thread Show presents a somewhat tongue-in-cheek Higher Power Hour! My poem, “Sacred Contract” ponders some big questions and asks one of its own. (The poem appears in the second 15-minute segment of the show.)

Wednesday, July 22: This week the Common Thread Show mops its brow and reprises the theme hot! So find a shady nook and join our host Coyote Slim for an hour of topical, tropical music. Persistently topical, my poem, “The Sum of All Our Goodness,” looks at the “flaming hell” state of the world and asks, what if?

Wednesday, July 15: The Common Thread show checks its pulse and calls the Doctor! Tune in for a prescription of themed music, and my poem that discovers “Signs of Healing in the Emergency Waiting Room.” (You’ll hear my poem in the final 15-minute segment.)

Wednesday, June 17: For all the men in our lives, Coyote Slim presents a celebratory show! And given we are so near Father’s Day, I’ll be reading my poem, “What Shapes a Father.” Take a pause to enjoy this tribute to a special man and to think about the man or men who may have helped to shape you!

Wednesday, June 10: This week, our host Coyote Slim makes us feel like dancing! Join us for a lively hour of music and also my poem, “Star Dance,” inspired by Beatrice, one of Shakespeare’s best leading ladies. Beatrice declares, “There was a star danced and under that was I born.” We dare you to try to stay in your seat… (NOTE: my poem appears in the second 15-minute segment of the show.)

Wednesday, May 13: This week The Common Thread Show celebrates 5 years of presenting songs with a theme! You won’t want to miss this 2 hour special, with the theme of body parts! Bring all the parts of you and join the party, where I’ll be presenting my poem “The Body Takes Charge.” Do you know what can happen when you don’t pay attention to what your body already knows?

Wednesday, April 15: This week, The Common Thread Show pays tribute to Poets and Poetry! This edition of the show features several of my poems, as well as clips from a recent interview I did with the host, Coyote Slim. Listen in, to hear music from particularly poetic songwriters plus poems and a chat about poetry writing from me!

Wednesday, April 1:

Sir, I admit your gen’ral rule
That every poet is a fool:
But you yourself may serve to show it,
That every fool is not a poet.

Alexander Pope, 1688-1744

Of course, The Common Thread show is all about fools this week! In my poem, “I Lost My Rose-Coloured Glasses,” the narrator wonders wonders if she might be a target and a fool, as she’s been accused. You be the judge this Wednesday, live at 6pm. This week you’ll hear my poem in the second 15-minute block.

On Wednesday, March 25, The Common Thread show laces up its boots and goes walking in a two-hour special of themed musical selections. My poem ponders the ultimate centre point, which we find when “Walking the Labyrinth” of life. In this episode, the poem appears in the second half-hour.

Wednesday, March 18: Countless artists and thinkers have weighed in on this topic, and now host Coyote Slim takes us through a musical exploration of change: is it the only constant? Does it blow in on the wind? Is it irresistible? Tune in this week for these questions and more! I add some thoughts with my poem, “Cocooning,” which asks, among other things, does it hurt?

Wednesday, March 4: Here at the Common Thread Show we are well aware there are angels among us – and this week, Coyote Slim plays the songs to prove it! My poem, “Evidence of Angels” presents some situations that may get you thinking about how angels show up in everyday events.

Wednesday, February 11, 2025: Get ready to shift gears and lay some rubber (musically, that is) as the theme for this week’s show is pickup trucks. My poem, “Ridge Road” tells the story of a brother’s ill-fated attempt to escape. “The only route out is never an easy ride…”

February 4, 2026: This week, the Common Thread Show actually consists of three artistic dimensions: there’s music (of course!) and poetry, but also visual art! That’s because this week’s poem, “Lifelines” was inspired by this photograph I took of a dramatic rockface.

Join us for an hour that explores (in three dimensions) the many aspects of getting old. You might notice that creativity often thrives as we age!

December 3, 2025: This week The Common Thread Show wraps itself in a blanket and ponders cold weather. Host Coyote Slim closes the program with a poem of mine called, “Flying By Instruments,” and links it to a very popular wintertime flier (hint: ho ho ho!) “Do you have the instruments you need?”

November 5, 2025: The theme for this week’s show is memories including lost memory, and my poem explores both “Minds and Hearts”: in particular, what is left when one of these is lost.

October 29, 2025: The musical theme is Hallowe’en and The Common Thread Show is all about songs that are spooky and magical! My poem presents “The Biggest Magic Trick of All.” Can you guess what this is?

October 15, 2025: Expect some shivers tonight as The Common Thread Show explores ghosts! In my poem, “Final Accounting” a ghostly soul faces a tough assessment. In this episode, the poem appears early in the second half-hour.

September 24, 2025: Join host Coyote Slim as this week The Common Thread Show takes a look at lies and my poem, “When Your Mask Slipped” describes some real-life liars (who shall remain unnamed.) In this episode, the poem appears in the second half-hour.

September 17, 2025: This week, The Common Thread Show looks out the window and finds autumn slipping in. Tune in for songs all about the fall season! My poem, “Something Fine and Beautiful” encourages new plantings, both in the garden and in our lives.

August 27, 2025: Time to punch in and get to work as the Common Thread Show looks ahead to Labour Day with workin’ songs. My poem, “Useful Work” presents a few versions of the workday. (Hard hats not always necessary.)

August 20, 2025: The Common Thread Show heats up this week with music covering all aspects of hot. My poem, “The Sum of All Our Goodness” presents a poetic take on the current “flaming hell state of the world” and asks, what if?

July 30, 2025: This week The Common Thread Show looks at all things wild and my poem is “At the Brink,” all about “the great, wild cataract” that is Niagara Falls.

July 2, 2025: This week’s theme is birds! My poem “First Bird” wonders: can a raven predict the future?

June 25, 2025: In this episode, your host Coyote Slim musically explores the many aspects of crazy. I remake the lyrics of a classic song in my poem, “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning: the 3am Crazies Version.” For all you insomniacs out there…