J.P. Dancing Bear

J.P. Dancing Bear, aka JP, Jerry, but most often, “Bear.”  64 years old.

Bear was born in Nevada but spent his entire life in California until he and his wife moved to the PNW to run, as volunteers, an animal rescue and protection charity.

Bear grew up in Petaluma, California and enjoyed lasting friendships made as far back as his high school days.   He met his wife in the Bay Area in 1999, and they were married in 2001. In addition to their personal family of animals, they also rescued, rehabilitated, cared for, and homed around one hundred dogs as charity volunteers.

In his professional life, Bear was a force. In addition to being a market analyst in the semiconductor industry, for nearly three decades he provided invaluable literary publications and resources, including Verse Daily, a free literary resource for all, and the books of myriad poets and other writers via Dream Horse Press, now known as Dog’s Heart Press. He was a beloved and highly regarded member of the literary community who was honored with the publication of numerous books of his own poetry as well, including two books of “birthday poems,” collections from the thousands of poems he wrote for his friends and peers on a daily basis for years.  Near the end of his birthday poems project, he wrote one for himself on his own birthday, but it, like so much of his work, was more importantly a gift of beauty to the world:

Across the Lake of Clouds

I paddle across the lake of cumulus: I think there is enough time to make the shore before nightfall: balancing a bag of gifts on a kayak: for all my friends; a year’s honor in a few words: when I read aloud on these cold days: small clouds are born: they rise and I can only hope to see them come around the world again: I bring one companion with me: snowy owl who knows my heart: often times better than I have known: she flies to the shores on either side: news from the world: and assurances on direction: I stop my paddling to take it all in: this journey: the blue of the sky so bright: I do not make a ripple: and peer beneath the surface to the depths that will not take me: I am part of this timeless reflection: and I am better for it. 

A lover of nature, people, and other animals, Bear was loyal, affable, and easygoing no matter what he faced throughout his life.  His unwavering hope, positivity, kindness, generosity, sense of humor and wit, keen yet compassionate socio-cultural eye, and subtle gravitas earned him the admiration of strangers, friends, and colleagues.  His absence will be deeply felt throughout the literary community and his loss mourned by everyone who knew him.