"It is natural to sing and dance poetry. What is not natural is to bury poems in skinny books lined up on dusty shelves." V.G.
Taoist Inner Tube Rider began as a metaphor to describe the author's style of writing that has evolved into a book and CD (Peter Tennant did the Sound Mix on the CD). It is created to bring the words alive and to inspire people to engage with poetry.
Through word, sound and image revelations of the author are presented as a lyrical journey through time and as a cyclical ride through nature. The writing spans four decades. The geographies are desert, forest, waterways, and sky represented in wind, weather and sound waves.
A woman rides through them all - flowing through vistas and deep feelings to find meaning and purpose. Her insights and longing are transformed into a resolve to live life fully, at peace with the Great Mystery.
Virginia Lee Gillespie grew up in Wyoming and Colorado riding horses, camping and skiing. A gift of a guitar at thirteen from her parents inspired her to immediately begin writing and performing with friends.
In the turbulent 60's the revival of poetry and song helped bring meaning to complex social, political and environmental issues. Like her peers, Virginia sought to find deeper and more universal levels of communication that could both document and transform the changing times.
Nature became both a refuge and an ally. Road trips through the Western U.S. restored her confidence in the grandness of the cyclical nature of life and respect for Aboriginal culture. Travel extended to the Old World where three times she has lived and performed in England, Italy, Germany, Ireland and Scotland.
Theater and music are incorporated when she teaches English language and culture. She has coached business professionals in Mexico and Germany; Japanese and Korean visitors; and new immigrants to Canada.
In recent years writing poetry was rekindled when her poem was selected for the National Poetry Month online exhibit and acceptance in the Advanced Poet's Workshop with Writer's Village University. The intensified review of past poems and encouragement to produce new ones laid the groundwork to publish this book and CD.
Virginia currently lives on the southern coast of British Columbia, Canada where she and Steve founded the Bardsroost Circle of Writers who meet regularly in their home.