Creatives

Ten-Thousand Things

Andrew Zahn — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 03:05:10 +0000

There are ten-thousand things I cannot do,
And then ten-thousand more.

So I write.
I call to the birds,
Toss the ball to the dog,
And laugh with family,
While the list grows—
Ten-thousand more.

So I stop
The bullet of hate
From piercing my own heart,
So it may not pierce yours.
While the list grows—
Ten-thousand more. 

So I stop
The sword of violence
With my words,
My votes,
My cash,
So it may melt to shovel earth—
To plant peace for generations.
While the list grows—
Ten-thousand more.

So I let
My words, my life, my work
Fill the broken cracks.
Fill all the broken cracks—
Fill each and every crack
While the list grows.

What Then?

Andrew Zahn — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 02:13:01 +0000

And after we’ve taken it all
After every last bit
Of dirt
Of oil
Of people and power and
Dig down, climb up to the heaven-hell
Of what we say we believe
And find an infinity cavern of
White, silent halls
Forever and forever again
What then?

And after our micro chips
Stumble from our fingers to our insides
When we become an it
The it we have forced upon
Everyone and everything that is other.
When we give up our empathy and humanity
To an algorithm that learns from
Gnarl-toothed, rancid-dreaming men
What then?

And after the last bird sings
The last bow rides the strings
Propelled by a human arm
With muscle
And sinew
And dirty weather, stanching down
To the elbow of what makes us human
Maybe then?

Maybe then—
Maybe then—
We will put it all back
For one-thousand more years.
Put back what we’ve stolen from ourselves
To give to ourselves
What we wanted
All along.

***

Please subscribe here to receive updates.

End-of-Year Poetry: My 2025 Wrap-Up Inspired by James A. Pearson

Andrew Zahn — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 14:03:28 +0000

I was inspired by James A. Pearson, a poet I admire, to follow his end-of-year poem prompt to craft a ‘lil 2025 wrap up poem. You can get his poem prompt here if you’d like to give it a go for yourself.

Volunteer Tomatoes

Andrew Zahn — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 16:27:53 +0000

I twice cut the slight tomatoes
that I did not plant
or grow,
but merely appeared in our compost pile,
poking through the rot.
I tossed the quartered marbles
on cooked eggs of an unknown hen,
with many-eyed potatoes I’d forgotten
in a now-stale plastic bag,
and consumed a breakfast—
a life—
of which I can take
very little credit.

What I will do

Andrew Zahn — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 14:34:51 +0000

INTERVIEW: Author Todd Foley on his new book Charades

Andrew Zahn — Sun, 10 Jul 2016 19:02:52 +0000

If you’re looking for a great summer read, you’ll want to check out Charades by Todd Foley (you can grab your copy here).

I sat down at my computer to chat with Todd about his new book and recorded the interview below.

Enjoy!

To connect with Todd, stop by his website to see what new projects he’s working on.

As a side note, Mr. Foley is an amazing editor and anyone needing his services would be pleased with his keen (and gentle!) eye and suggestions for better writing.

Most Efficient Way to Shovel (And Save Your Back) in 3 Easy Steps

Andrew Zahn — Sat, 23 Jan 2016 16:54:24 +0000

Upon shoveling out of Jonas today here in Pennsylvania, I’ve done a little research to figure out the most efficient way to shovel. If you want to save your back, take the easy steps below.

1. Listen for doorbell.

2. When doorbell rings, peek out and see if an entrepreneurial teenager is holding a shovel (and/or has a snowblower).

3. Answer door with a $20.00 bill in hand and offer the $20.00 for them to shovel your driveway/walkway.

Sandpaper

Andrew Zahn — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 00:30:39 +0000

I like peace, quiet and serenity.

I like things neat, clean and organized.

But…

I don’t learn anything from trying to control my environment to always be in a peaceful/quiet/organized state.

Life is messy. Business is messy. Relationships are messy.

So what’s the alternative to the messy/difficult/stretching? Wallpaper.

Wallpaper has no relationships.
Never changes.
Never learns.

Wallpaper keeps things looking nice…but that’s about it.

That’s not the life I want, the business I want or the relationships I want.

I’d rather be sandpaper. Sandpaper stirs, smooths, roughs, changes and reinvents.

Dreams vs Goals

Andrew Zahn — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 00:40:36 +0000

As 2013 comes to a close and 2014 peers over the horizon, I started thinking about my goals for the coming year.

My thoughts swirled…

So, you wanna do some dumb resolution thing for 2014?

No. That’s a bit tired.

OK, maybe write out your dreams for the coming year then…or your goals.

Well, which is it…dreams or goals?

I dunno. Who are we talking to?

It’s me…you.

Oh, so glad it was me talking and not you talking.

What were we talking about before we interrupted us?

The conversation between myself and myself got more strange (if that’s possible) so I continued it on Facebook. I asked if dreams were different from goals and, if so, how? Here’s a few of the responses.

Hmm interesting question!! I think that maybe someone with goals intends to accomplish then. Unfortunately, people often times don’t necessarily have hope (like real expectant hope) that all dreams will come true. However for me personally, I probably have more hope and joyful expectation (dreams) than I do concrete goals and game plans for accomplishing things. I think it’s most powerful to have goals and dreams married with one another.

-Michelle L.

And then…

I see them as similar, but that goals have a strategy for making the dreams reality.

-Tom P.

And a fun story…

A read an article contrasting the youth of today with a true account of a boy many decades ago. This boy wanted a horse but his mom said it was a crazy idea because they lived in the city. Not being deterred, the boy saved his money for a few years for a lawn mower. Then started a business and earned enough for a horse AND a place to board it across town-only having a bike to ride to visit his horse. It took several years, but one day he told his mom he had a horse! She didn’t believe him, but after he convinced her, she drove across town to the stable, and met his horse! All because he saved his money for a mower, to start a business, to save his money to rent a place to board a horse, and then bought an actual horse. This was just a kid! Many would say it was a dream, but he set goals and saw his dream come true. I’m sure as a child he could’ve used his cash for toys, candy, or the movies, but he had a dream.

Rachel H.

2013 was a monumental year for me and and my family. I became a father, published my second book, left my job as a public relations manager and started a business. Leaps of faith, risk and rewards to make dreams tangible.

My wife and I have felt that the phrase for 2014 is a simple one: the best is yet to come. It is.

***

Question: How do you make your dreams a reality?

5 Sense Guide to Creating an Inspiring Workspace

Andrew Zahn — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 15:34:47 +0000

I said that you’ve got to stay inspired to be inspiring… and this inforgraphic will give you some tools to do both as you go about your work.

Enjoy!