Tanka Journal poet

Robert Walton

In their own words

I taught at San Lorenzo Middle School in King City, California for thirty-six years before retiring in June of 2006. Phyllis, my wife of 43 years, and I still reside in King City. We have two sons – Jeremy and Jon.
I am a life-long rock-climber and mountaineer. I've made numerous ascents in the Sierra Nevada and Yosemite, though my home crags are in Pinnacles National Monument. Three of my short stories about climbing were published in the Sierra Club's Ascent. I converted a story named "Three's a Crowd" into a radio play and it was broadcast on KUSF on November 22nd, 2006.
Five of my books have been published: Joel in Tananar, Flower Tumbles, The Dragon and the Lemon Tree, Chaos Gate and Dawn Drums. Dawn Drums awarded both the New Mexico Book Awards 2014 Tony Hillerman Award for Best Fiction and the Arizona Authors Association 2014 First Place Award for published fiction.

A golden leaf falls,Flickers from light to shadow.A golden leaf fallsAt the touch of a child's eyesAnd opens them forever.

Issue 3Issue 3 →

A crow fell from cliffsWhere granite, wind and snow workAgainst each other.Within dawn a fleck of nightSlides down northwall snow

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Like an upthrust thorn,A cry rises from far canyonsStill blue with shadow.Wrapped in lean vines of yelps.It commands the new day’s hunt.

Issue 8Issue 8 →