Cecil (cj) Krieger Biography

C.J. (Cecil) writes to express himself. For his entire adult life he has been writing. As a young adult in the 60’s he wrote music and lyrics that are still being performed today. He wrote music and lyrics for the years he supported himself singing his way across the U.S.A. He wrote manuals for his martial arts students. And he has written poetry throughout all those lifetimes.

C.J. doesn’t like to talk his way through happiness or problems. When there are problems, his friends know that he disappears. But he doesn’t desert us. He goes off and writes his way through the difficult moments. When he gives a gift, it’s usually accompanied by a poem. When we check email, there’s likely to be a poem about a recent conversation with C.J.

His poems are about what tickles his fancy, about where he finds humor in even the most humorless moments, about the loves in his life, and about his beloved Kiki and Squeaky (his purring companions) .

Though I’ve been asked to write an introduction for C.J.'s book of poetry, it is important to talk about him as a generous and giving man. He is undoubtedly one the finest massage therapists (L.M.T.) in the country. The level of giving of oneself that is required in his healing profession results in most practitioners burning out and leaving the profession after a few years. C.J. has been in practice for 27 years. As he nears age 60 he reminds me of the Asian masters who in their old age can out perform even the youngest and strongest young people. I believe this is a result of many years of intense self-discipline and, even more importantly, C.J.’s intense love of people.

If you’re wondering about one of his poems, email and ask him about the story behind the poem. You may just be lucky enough to meet the generous and giving man behind the words.

CJ's Web Site: cjkrieger.com/

Published Books:

1. 'Pinacolada Child'... available through Barns & Nobel and other bookstores throughout the internet.

2. 'There's Always August'... available through Barns & Nobel and other bookstores throughout the internet.

3. “Absorbed By The Sun” Available through Barns & Nobel and other bookstores throughout the internet.

4. 'Reflections In Glass' Available through Barns & Nobel and other bookstores throughout the internet.

5. 'On Tinker Street' Now available

It’s a long way from the town of Woodstock, New York to the drought-stricken hills and valleys of Bendigo in southern Australia. But literature, and particularly poetry, has a way of bridging vast distances and making the most unlikely connections possible.

I was introduced to the writing of C.J. Krieger through our common love of Richard Brautigan; in my opinion one of the most unique writers, thinkers and dreamers of the 20th century (and judging from CJ’s work, it’s a belief we share) .

CJ’s writing is impossible to pigeonhole. Like Brautigan, his poetry has a strong narrative drive, pushing the boundaries between verse and story, blurring the boundaries of the real and surreal. And he’s not afraid to be laugh-out-loud funny – to trade on the double entendre or create moments of absurd slapstick. A breath of fresh air in a literary form that so often feeds on misery, loneliness and despair.

But there is poignancy to CJ’s poetry. It comes from his economy of words and a perfect balance of humor and pathos. He captures the finest details of human relationships without prescription or prejudice; with honest sentiment but never sentimentality. In these little explosions of understanding and insight the ordinary becomes extraordinarily beautiful.

The essence of Absorbed by the Sun is contained in CJ’s poem “When It All Comes Together”

To look at him
You would never know
It was the fragments of his life
That made him whole

The American poet and activist Muriel Rukeyser famously said that “the world is made up of stories, not atoms”. The small fragments that make up this book not only make C.J. Krieger whole, but spark recognition in all of us. They are our stories too. Like me, you might find yourself thinking, I could have written that. Or, more likely, I wish I’d written that.

So, it’s time to dive in. There are no prerequisites – no instructions – for reading CJ’s poetry. It is equally as good in broad daylight or in moonlight, in the bathroom or in the bedroom, in the garden or up a tree. Take them with coffee or wine, on fine days or windy days, on an empty stomach or with a full heart. They’re yours now. Enjoy.

John Holton, Author
Bendigo, Australia