All in a Year

To those of us who have lived in Florida for more than one lifetime, this collection of poems, paintings, and meditations will feel familiar. We remember many things that seem to have vanished: sleepy little seaside towns, wild beaches stretching for miles, a lakeside cottage where air-conditioning was an afternoon breeze. Surprisingly, this enchanted Florida can still be found here and there if you really look for it. Ken’s work provides a few clues: Matanzas Sunrise, Lido Daydream, Captiva Heat. But you must go further to reach some of the truly magical experiences he recounts, like a night swim in luminescent Gulf waters or a venerable bar where time stands still. Do I hear Hoagy Carmichael on the jukebox singing a refrain from Ken’s poem, “Seabird, is there a song that you can teach to me?”

Ken’s poems and stories are imbued with romance. Obviously there is someone special who animates them, but he seems equally smitten by the places he shares with his beloved. He is in love with Florida, and his paintings express this well. Sometimes they are specific and filled with telling details, and sometimes they are atmospheric mood-drenched reveries. All are fresh, energetic, and sparkling with light and color. They remind us why we are still here.