Richard Mackay

Growing up in a Detroit neighborhood was not always easy, but I persevered. Creative in many areas, including helping in the family business, studying piano for several years, and loving rock and roll music, I was a good student and learned to work hard on all undertakings. Attending our Lutheran church regularly was also an expectation of our family.

Attending the University on my own was difficult at first. To find the support I needed, I utilized my sense of creativity, courage to face personal problems, and willingness to work hard. While serving as a medical corpsman in the US Air Force, I finally focused on English as my field of study for a degree. When I was discharged from the service, I endeavored to finish my degree, however, during that time Detroit was in social turmoil. 

In a University Coffee house, I helped to manage and sing folk songs, though finally I decided to leave and join the Ecumenical Institute on the west side of Chicago, doing community work.  I felt led to be of service to others and go beyond just my own needs. I went on to teach English in Japan and Indonesia and lived in several different areas in the United States. I experienced the diversity of people in different locations and cultures.

Feeling the need to discover myself deeper and prompted by circumstances, I moved to pursue an Expressive Therapy course in New Mexico, “The Land of Enchantment”. My creative nature was inspired and nurtured by the land there, and I experienced the Native American culture in the many pueblo communities. I joined a wonderful intimate partner, Linda, in a relationship that was beneficial to us both. Together, we moved to my present location in Huntsville. Continuing on my journey–just in the last four years–I became active on social media, recorded a couple CD’s, collaborated with a naturally conscious group, and published my poetry.

In my poetry and art I aim to perform as a guide, exploiting contrasts and learn again the lessons that nature can teach us. Characterizing my relation to the plant kingdom in this way is beyond seeing them as an “it” reality and seeing myself in a relation of reciprocity and communication with plants and nature. My poetry is exploring that theme of relationship to the plant kingdom. If we sense plants this way, we can learn from them since they have been on the Earth and survived much longer than humans.