February 2026 Edition
“Do not be tense, but ready; not thinking, but not dreaming; not being set, but flexible. It is being wholly and quietly alive, aware, and alert; ready for whatever may come.”
~ Bruce Lee
Poetry in Motion
As I write this, I am recovering from hiatal hernia surgery, and the post-op is miserable. It is an injury I’ve lived with for some time that I believe a particular blow incurred to my chest as a kickboxer. Yet, at the moment, I would take fighting in a ring over the misery I feel right now. Since I was young, writing and the martial arts have always interested me, two forms that often intersect. There are many poets and philosophers among athletes, especially Eastern martial artists. Writing itself is movement. As we breathe, we move. Life is movement, and the world around us is poetry in motion.
I read a book called On Muscle by Bonnie Tsui last year. It tells of Tsui’s experiences as an athlete and how movement shaped her life. It’s a very eloquent story about what our bodies do for us. I especially enjoyed reading about the accomplishments of women athletes in claiming their bodies through athleticism in a male-dominated field. One of the many wonderful things about movement is that it is a way to claim our bodies for ourselves through self-expression. Even if you are not an athlete, I feel Tsui’s experience speaks to us all as people trying to understand our bodies, what we are made of.
Some of you reading may not be athletes. And I’m sure some disapprove of the ridiculous trials we athletes put ourselves through, especially fighters. You’re not wrong. Many athletes, including myself, push too far and suffer consequences. My body carries many storytelling scars. But we are designed to move, and appreciating that ability helps to respect our bodies. That’s what it is to be an athlete, a dancer, a martial artist. It’s what people don’t understand about athletes. We are not trying to harm ourselves. We are trying to test ourselves against nature, to see just what we are capable of. But, like anything in life, fitness can be dangerous, addictive, and even counterproductive. Which is why we must take caution through loving and respecting our bodies.
The quote from Bruce Lee above is about being ready for what may come, for whatever life throws at you. It’s about being adaptable. And that’s what we prepare ourselves for as athletes—to adapt. Though I am suffering at the moment, I have faith in my body and am confident I will recover stronger than before. Take a moment to appreciate your ability to move. Breathe. Feel the rhythm inside you. Look and see the world move around you. Appreciate what movement you have, because you never know when it might fail you.
______________________________
Greetings from the Writing Desk
Welcome to the Author’s Newsletter—February edition, 2026. If you missed the book announcement, a new illustrated and revised edition of Shuhari is available now. I’ve made some adjustments to the website. I have a shop now that will soon be filled with some wonderful new art projects. Update emails will go out as new items arrive in the shop.
Unfortunately, my plans have slowed down due to this surgery. But things are moving along. 2026 will prove to be a productive year. Besides the newly released Shuhari, I have 3 more upcoming releases this year. Two poetry collections, Foster Poems and Color Sketches, are forthcoming. And my gothic romance verse novella, A Love Unrequited, will be available at the end of the year.
Foster Poems is undergoing final edits before publication. And I’m currently back and forth in the editing process of Color Sketches. Inspired by the book of Genesis, Color Sketches is a poetry book spread over seven volumes. Each part correlates the seven colors of the rainbow with the days of creation. It’s an allegorical collection expressing the many shades of existence.
As I reflect on the creation of life, I realize creation is also movement. Perhaps every motion is an act of creation. Remember that we are movers; look around you and capture the movement in your own writing or art. Bring it into your daily life, or occupation. Notice the movement around you and embrace it; appreciate how you move. Movement is poetry. So today I ask you to move, to create.
______________________________
Reading…
Jorge Luis Borges, The Craft of Verse. Borges is possibly my favorite writer in terms of voice and style. In this work, he also talks about life as poetry. In his mind, poetry is inefficient to describe our experiences, because the poetry is the experience itself. I agree in that it is the conundrum of the poet. We’re trying to capture what we can never really capture with words. But that’s why we write, isn’t it? The joy and frustration of writing both lie in the PURSUIT of the words to express what we feel, knowing we may never find them.
Listening…
Been hooked on Tom Petty’s Wildflowers album. Crawling Back to You is such a great song. I have fond memories of seeing Petty live in the early aughts.
Watching…
In the middle of Deep Space Nine as part of my Star Trek rewatch. A Trekkie for life, every so often I go through all the series. I never tire of it. I’m a Sci Fi guy in general: Farscape, Stargate, Doctor Who... I could go on. But Star Trek will always be my favorite.
______________________________
If you have questions at all, or just want to chat, feel free to reply to this email. Also, I love exchanging handwritten letters. You can send snail mail to the address at the bottom. And if you do pick up a copy of Shuhari, please don’t forget to leave a review. Thanks for reading! 😊
May Shadow Reveal Light,
Joshua Thaddeus
______________________________
Never was one to know myself.
I stare at my shadow like a stranger,
looking upon my reflection with suspicion.
I seek not to know myself,
but to forget all notion of identity,
until I am not but that
which moves through me.
But you see me, and in your eyes,
I am found—
afraid I am not but that which you made me.
______________________________
Invite others to explore inner worlds at joshuathaddeus.com
Joshua Thaddeus, PO Box 1011, Harvey, LA 70059, USA
