Please welcome poet Kevin Guess. Kevin is best known as a musician and teacher here in Houston, and it is Synkroniciti’s great pleasure to publish two poems from Mission: “The Dayspring Orphanage” and “The Village in Another Time,” which detail experiences working with the community surrounding a Christian orphanage in El Higo, Veracruz, Mexico. The opportunity to listen and interact with people of different backgrounds and experiences taught him much about his faith and about extending community in a healthy way through service, rather than extending the mindset of colonization. Recognizing the humanity of all, empathizing while understanding that no one can comprehend another’s journey is vital. Kevin reminds us that fear, poverty and violence are the enemies, not people, and his warmth and attentiveness are palpable and moving.
Read this thoughtful and affirming poetry in Synkroniciti’s upcoming issue, “Ritual,” which will debut online on March 1st. Subscribe or purchase the individual issue here.
Poetry became a creative outlet for Kevin Guess in his mid-teens, a result of writing song lyrics. After earning a Master of Music from the University of Houston, where he studied composition with Dr. Michael Horvit and Carlisle Floyd and piano with Robert Brownlee and Carlisle Floyd, his time was divided between teaching, performing and composing music. He has worked with Houston Ballet Academy, Houston Grand Opera’s Opera-to-Go, HITS Theater, Lonestar College and Lee College. He is an experienced pianist (classical and jazz), accompanist and music director, as well as a church musician and composer of music for theater and education.
For 25 years, Kevin has maintained a large private studio, teaching theory, composition and jazz. About six years ago the urge for poetical expression arose once again. Some things are said best through music, for others, one needs a poem.
Please visit Kevin’s website.