Charlie Sherpa

@fobhaiku

Read my books: Freelance editor, writer, poet, humorist. OEF veteran by way of BFE. Admin: The Aiming Circle. Opinions & jokes my own.

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Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· 16h

"Army Values" poster still available for download on official Pentagon website. Limited time only? www.army.mil/e2/downloads...

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· 13d

Proud to have new works appearing in the ISSUED: stories of service No. 4 (2026), including my “5 haiku about ‘Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen’”—about the 1983 series finale of “M*A*S*H”! ISSUED is produced annually by students at Arizona State University. Available for purchase here: issuedjournal.com

ISSUED: Stories of Service No. 4. Cover art "Last Breath," a 2010 painting by Vietnam veteran Bernie Duff, depicts a female U.S. Army nurse standing over and talking with a prone male patient.

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· 16d

Proud to have work appearing in "Convergence: Poetry on Environmental Impacts of War," an anthology of more than 60 war poets published by Scarlet Tanager Books! Amazon and elsewhere: amzn.to/4tFCcT3 More info via @aimingcircle.bsky.social : www.patreon.com/posts/158094...

Cover of "Convergence: Poetry on Environmental Impacts of War" features an abstract painting titled "There Was a Forest," acrylic with found objects, by Ann Phong
20” x 20”
Copyright ©2020 by Ann Phong
annphongart.com

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· 27d

Same picture?

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Jul 6

Proud to have work appearing in "Convergence: Poetry on Environmental Impacts of War," an anthology of more than 60 war poets newly released from Scarlet Tanager Books—and recently reviewed in @veteransforpeace.bsky.social's Spring 2026 newsletter! Via Amazon: amzn.to/4tFCcT3 #warpoetry #ecopoetry

Review by Doug Rawlings

I suppose it's true that when most of us open a book, we bring with us certain expectations based on the genre. My encounter with historical fiction, for example, brings with it a host of expectations, many of which are based on life experiences. This is certainly true when I open up a collection of poems.
Fortunately for me and for many readers of poetry, expectations can be rattled and transformed by the artistry and wisdom of poets and their editors. Convergence: Poetry on Environmental Impacts of War (Scarlet Tanager Books, 2026) is such a collection.
For years, I have maintained that a poem that "works" has to be able to stand by itself with no prologue or epilogue necessary. Then I opened up Convergence. As I began reading the poems, I became increasingly intrigued by the poets' note attached to each one. The poems do indeed
"stand by themselves," but the reflections that accompany them add significantly to the reader's understanding of the nature of war and its impact on the natural world.
And so this collection justifiably stands as a valuable resource as well as a testament to the beauty of poetry.
Take, for example, Teresa Mei Chuc's poem, "Agent Blue." The powerful beauty of her language resonates throughout the poem:

To kill correctly takes calculation.
Down to a science.
Because mortars, grenades and bombs can not destroy a grain.
Know what it takes to kill the seeds.
To be surrounded by love but unable to absorb it.
In a very few words she captures the personal depth of war and its universal impact on the innocent, its ability to crush one's world forever. And then, her accompanying statement deepens our understanding:
*..Due to the U.S. military's spraying of chemicals such as Agent Blue during the war, high concentrations of arsenic have remained in the Mekong Delta environment for the last sixty years, continuing to contaminate the waters, sediments, and soils."

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As a former high school and university teacher, it's because of contributions like Teresa's that I would be equally comfortable recommending this book for use in a literature classroom, science classroom, or a history classroom.
Imagine combining her work with John Balaban's, Bill Ehrhart's, and Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai's, to name a few, and you get my point-this is a collection of poems well worth keeping in school libraries as well as at home. As students become increasingly aware and concerned about the deteriorating nature of the environment, works like Convergence can give them a deeper understanding of how we are all complicit in the earth-shattering crisis-and provide them with yet another resource to back up their chants of "No More Wars." The power of poetry lives on! Thank you to Convergence editors for putting this collection in our hands.

Personal note: I really started taking poetry seriously after I returned from the American war in Vietnam. Here was a medium that could accurately capture the surreal nature of that war. No need for the traditional "beginning, middle, and end" formatting for the narrative.
Nope. You could jump right into the moment a mortar hit, feel its impact, look around, and jump back out again.
Then on to the next poem. —Doug

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Jul 3

Going to make optimal use of my "Rosebud" commemorative popcorn bucket this weekend!

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· May 19

Proud to have work appearing in "Convergence: Poetry on Environmental Impacts of War," an anthology of more than 60 war poets newly released from Scarlet Tanager Books! Via Amazon: amzn.to/4tFCcT3 More info via @aimingcircle.bsky.social: www.patreon.com/posts/158094... #warpoetry #ecopoetry

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· May 6

I wrote about my childhood "footlocker" of G.I. Joe stuff in "PROUD to BE: Writing by American Warriors" Vol. 14 (2025). Today, a writer-veteran buddy surprised me with a still-on-card(!!!) DIAL-TONE—the Joes' radio guy from 1986! "This is the most-'Sherpa' thing in the world!" Feeling seen.

Front of "Dial-Tone" GI Joe action figure depicts soldier carrying large backpack radio.

Observe of Dial-Tone GI Joe action figure depicts character bio, which reads in part: "He saw the army as a means to furthering his education in his chosen field and quickly found that instead of a stepping stone, it was a goal in itself. Manning a radio in the field wasn't just passing time—it was a job with a purpose."

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Feb 18

"It's even got a foil cover!!!"

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Feb 18

Your points re: histories vs. morality plays were on-target! Although I avoided(?) Gladwell's "Hansell vs. LeMay" trap, my poetic deep-dive into foundational USAF films/texts/myths ("Maximum Effort!") ended up trying to interrogate the devolution from precision- to area-bombing mindsets.

Cover of 2022 hybrid monograph "Twelve O'Clock Haiku: Leadership Lessons from Old War Movies & New Poems" by Randy "Sherpa" Brown; cover image depicts an intensely colorized bird's-eye-view of B-17 bomber over World War II Europe.

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Feb 18

"Collect them all!"

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Feb 11

"[...] There was no octopus. There was you— dark eyes obscured by your glasses and your military service. You told me the frames issued by the Army were nicknamed birth control glasses, BCGs. I laughed, my world defined by my desire for your gaze. [...]" www.collateraljournal.com/poetry/csbla...

Graphic incorporates snippets of text from Callie Blackstone's poem "I told people about the octopus we saw at the Peabody Museum", which appears in Collateral Journal issue 10.1

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Feb 10

From 2015's amzn.to/2n7zOIg *** “HERE AND THEIRS” By Randy “Sherpa” Brown We quit our homes to search theirs. We left our crops to burn theirs. We used our guns to take theirs. We spent our capital to build theirs. And, now returned, we wonder how we lost our freedoms and got theirs.

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Feb 6

ChatGPT: Every red dot is a National Guard citizen-soldier on courtesy patrol.

"Bomber fallacy" graphic illustrates survivorship bias: red-dots showed where planes could be damaged and still return to base, not where armor was most-needed.

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Dec 11

"We go now LIVE to ... Guardian Arena!!!"

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Nov 13

Proud to have new stuff in this year's "Proud to Be" anthology! One is a poem involving a military retirement and a urinal. The other is a micro-essay about recovering my old 12-inch G.I. Joe action figure! Purchase on-line via Submittable: thelaurelreview.submittable.com/submit/29787...

Cover of "Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors, Vol. 14" depicts a military pilot wearing woodland camoflage, making adjustments and flipping switches.

Text reads: "Look what just landed!"

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Nov 4

“Come and take it!”

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Oct 24

You are too kind! I was fortunate to have met the poet at a U.S. Air Force Academy war-writing conference in September 2018! (And, yes, a favorite book for me, too!!!)

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Sep 30

Originally wrote this haiku for Tom Ricks' "Best Defense" blog at @foreignpolicy.com. Seems appropriate to re-post today. Background story & all 7 haiku: www.fobhaiku.com/2018/07/from... Also printed in "Twelve O'Clock Haiku: Leadership Lessons from Old War Movies & New Poems": amzn.to/3ShSDCr

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Aug 15

Me: "Not going to touch that most-recent fascism with a 12-inch ..." Also me:

Parody of popular gun-rights image depicts subway sandwich in sepia tone, under which the Greek words "Molon Labe" ("Come, take" or "Come and taken them") are presented. The image references the 14AUG25 arrest of a Department of Justice employee in Washington, D.C. for allegedly assaulting law enforcement personnel with a sandwich.

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Jul 18

Scuttlebutt suggests not. “Scuttlebutt Goes to War": The 1943 picture book is the true story a dog who is wounded in World War II, and adopted by sailors and Marines. Scuttlebutt gets his name from the wheeled apparatus he uses to get around temporarily, having been injured.

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Jul 4

Today’s was movie matinee: “The Crossing” (2000 TV movie)

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Jun 29

Sunday afternoon war movie matinee: “The Train” (1964). French resistance fighters led by Burt Lancaster attempt to stop a train of priceless artwork from being evacuated to WW2 Germany. Director: John Frankenheimer

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Jun 27

Here's your weekend safety brief: "Attack! Attack! Attack!" Challenge coin by Iowa's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division Scale Jersey-barrier “Kilroy was Here” challenge-coin holder by linktr.ee/warmurals #gijoe #knowingishalfthebattle #veteranslife #kilroy #kilroywashere

Picture of 3-3/4-inch G.I. Joe action figure "Scoop" combat information specialst, holding 1980s-sized video camera and wearing goggles and helmet. Scoop is placed in front of a 3D-printed "Jersey barrier" with an incised "Kilroy" graffito. The barrier is designed as a military challenge-coin display. In the photo is a coin from the Iowa's 2-34th Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division. Designed by soldier-citizen and painter Marvin Cone during WWI, the "Red Bull" emblem is a red buffalo skull inset a black Mexican water vase called an "Olla." The division motto is "Attack! Attack! Attack!"

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Jun 26

"Welcome to FOB Haiku: War Poems from Inside the Wire" by Randy "Sherpa" Brown. Cover art by @aaronprovost.bsky.social - Print: amzn.to/2n7zOIg - Kindle: amzn.to/3acccrT Intended to create moments of conversation among military veterans & civilians. About the author: linktr.ee/randysherpab...

Text reads: "All this has happened before, all this will happen again."

Book cover of "Welcome to FOB Haiku: War Poems from Inside the Wire" features pencil sketch of Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected ("M-RAP") truck.

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Jun 23

"The 12-Day War"

Photo dated May 1, 2003 depicts U.S. President George W. Bush giving a "thumbs-up" sign in front of a banner that reads "Mission Accomplished." More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Accomplished_speech

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Jun 10

"A plan to fail or a fail to plan"? It's a bad mission with bad optics and bad consequences if/when things go wrong. It is spending our capital and goodwill. And Joe, as always, gets to pay the price. #civmil

U.S Army poster from the 1980s depicts a soldier in combat gear, and reads, "Battle Staff Officer: Remember ... everything you plan and write must be executed by this man. He and his buddies will be the first to pay for your mistakes. Do your job well—futures depend on it."

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· Jun 3

Fun travel fact: Sherpa's Tactical Magic 8-ball is not permitted on civil airline flights. "We asked the Magic 8 Ball and it told us … Outlook not so good!' [TSA] jokes on its website. For Checked bags: We asked the Magic 8 Ball and it told us … It is certain!" www.cntraveler.com/story/what-i...

Novelty "Magic 8 Ball" fortune-telling toy is painted in green, brown, and black camouflage pattern.

Novelty "Magic 8 Ball" fortune-telling toy is painted in green, brown, and black camouflage pattern. Image depicts toy displaying the message: "Reply Hazy, Try Again."

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· May 1

Stunning 2-page spread by @ryanhowe.bsky.social and @wastedwings.bsky.social ! The original "True War Stories" Kickstarter even offered this as an actual postcard! Was this the artistic inspiration for the War Poetry Postcard Project (WPPP)?! Contest ends May 3, 2025! linktr.ee/warpoets

2-page spread from "True War Stories" comics anthology mimics a mid-20th century tourism postcard. The stylized text reads, "Greetings from Sunny Panjshir—the Valley of Lions." Other panels depict the life of Ahmed Shah Massoud, who resisted invasions by both the Soviets and the Taliban. Art by Ryan Howe. Colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick.

Charlie Sherpa@fobhaiku· May 1

"True War Stories" anthology from Image Comics includes “In the Valley of Lions”—the story of how Sherpa attended a tourism seminar in Afghanistan! Words: Randy “Sherpa” Brown @fobhaiku.bsky.social Art: Ryan Howe @ryanhowe.bsky.social Colors: Kelly Fitzpatrick @wastedwings.bsky.social