Patriotic prose

Mike Sciacca

On the eve of this city’s 98th annual celebration of Independence Day,

Bruce Sievers sparked a flame of patriotism at the Michael E. Rodgers

Senior’s Center in Huntington Beach.

Reciting poetry that encompassed everything from his observances of

everyday life to his passion for his country, Sievers was at center stage

doing what he does best -- speaking to an audience.

The patriotic 54-year-old Huntington Beach resident goes about his

life and his work as he waits to hear if his biggest dream will come

true. Sievers has been nominated as Poet Laureate of the United States.

What surprises the former Green Beret most about his success as a

poet, he says, is that it was never intended.

“I always hated poetry, to be honest,” he said. “But, I would write

all the time, mostly for myself in a diary-type of way.”

Although he writes from the heart, some things are still meant only

for himself.

“I only share about 10% of the things I have written about,” he said.

Sievers served in the Special Forces in the United States Army from

1968 to 1974. After his stint in the Army he hitchhiked across country, a

journey that brought him face to face with many of his fellow countrymen.

The journey reaffirmed his faith in the nation.

“When I got out of the army I was mad at the world,” he explained. “I

met so many incredible people during my travels that I changed my mind

about many things and the way I had felt.”

His writing took off in 1987. Sievers had written a poem, his way of

saying goodbye to a friend who was dying of cancer. That friend was so

impressed by what he read, that he encouraged Sievers to pursue his

writing.

Since then, poetry has become his passion.

And profitable.

He has performed for Ronald Regan, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford;

congressmen Barry Goldwater, Hubert Humphrey, John Glenn and Ted Kennedy;

for Hollywood royalty ranging from Graucho Marx to Bob Hope and Debbie

Reynolds and for various sports figures.

He says his personal favorite poem is the one he wrote about baseball

great Pete Rose, in his effort to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Sievers said that if he wasn’t a poet, he would have liked to play

America’s national pastime. He plays in various recreational leagues and

his wife, Lori, plays for the nation’s top-ranked women’s softball team,

the Santa Monica Yankees.

His poetry has been entered into the United States Congressional

Record. He has been featured in People Magazine and various news

publications, and is a recipient of the George Washington Medal of Honor

in the category of Public Address.

Sievers was presented the award by the Freedoms Foundation at Valley

Forge.

His big dream, he says, is to be named Poet Laureate of the United

States.

His name was recently submitted to the Librarian of Congress by

singer/actor Pat Boone, for consideration for the honor in the 2004-06

term.

Sievers wrote a poem for Boone and also performed for the entertainer.

He said he will find out if his dream comes to fruition sometime in

mid-2003.

While his poetry has taken him all over the country, Sievers today,

says he chooses to stay closer to home due to the recent birth of his

son. He used to speak annually at the Huntington Beach Authors Festival,

and continues to make speaking engagements throughout the city.

He was the guest of honor Wednesday, at the senior center’s annual

Fourth of July luncheon. Performing before a crowd of nearly 100, he read

from his book, “An American in Love With His Country,” a collection of

the poetry he has written that deals with love of America, the goodness

of its people and the values of friendship and self-respect.

Although patriotism symbolizes the theme of his program, it is but

just one-fifth of what he writes about.

It is his command of prose and his punctuating presentation, that

makes him ever so popular on the speaking circuit.

“We are so excited to have him,” said Janeen Laudenback of the senior

center.

He has estimated that he annually sells 25,000 copies of “An American

in Love With His Country.”

A one-man show, Sievers makes his living standing on stage reading

poetry. He makes anywhere from 10 to 15 speaking engagements per week and

is continually booked.

“Junior high students are my favorite audience,” he said. “They seem

to still be mystified and open to things at that age.”

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at (714)

965-7171 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.