Collaborating with the Muses to inspire, create, and illuminate
It's my honor to have been invited to serve as Poetry Editor for Literary Life, an online journal that seeks "truth at the intersection of the arts and faith through a discussion of ancient and contemporary literature." Yeah, that's my jam. Today's contribution to this publication is an exploration of the question, "What inspires you …
Continue reading "What inspires you as a poet?"
Prayer For An Offended World where no one is left who in truth can say, “How could you?” with authority, without a trace of irony. Return to us our shock and shame. Relieve us of our need to blame. Receive our sacrifice of self. Let us begin again. Amen. ***** Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash
Morning walk in June - She plucks up courage, a handful of daisies Happy summer squeals- Toes touch the Atlantic for the first time *** Happier still the Golden, smile flapping in the breeze of a passing car Listen for mother, baby robin - she calls from high above *** Downpour splashing through sunlight - …
It’s a quiet, deep green, rain-misted first Saturday of summer. The cat finds his place on the rocker, circles the seat twice, then settles in for the afternoon. Ballgame is on tv in the other room. The boy reads a new novel from our library visit this morning, stretching his long pre-teen legs out from …
This last week marked the end of a busy school year for me (I work at a school) and my son (now officially entering 7th grade). Time flies. And so do we, from day to year, from task to chore to distraction and, occasionally, to dreams. It is no coincidence I chose this poem, "Slow …
My extended in-laws buried two of their own on Saturday. Two different towns, two different groups of friends, family, colleagues, neighbors – similar sharing, binding, parting. The second gathering was graveside. I stood under a tent on the side of a hill filled with the remains of other people’s families, the light rain keeping time …
Catch the Rain Not every day is a day when each atom vibrates and all pores open to possibility: Those days are the days sulfur hangs heavy in a laser-etched horizon. Those are the days you must walk outside, arms stretched wide, palms up And catch the rain drop by hungry drop on your tongue. …
A day late, today's poem is from yesterday's NaPoWriMo prompt. My starting poem is Jane Kenyon's Song (which begins, "An oriole sings from the hedge..."). Simple Pleasures Those hidden drops, forgotten seeds, fragile flower-filled absences that hill, valley, stream cannot contain: The simple pleasure of the long familiar. So lucky to be not forgotten but …
Play Spring wiffle ball: snap of the bat, shy whistle, just missing the catch... jubilant cheers on breath-clouds, sliding home through slush. ***** Photo by Robert Collins on Unsplash
Today's NaPoWriMo prompt was to write a haibun. Surprisingly, given the number of haiku I've written over the years, this is a first for me: Empty Pockets A mile walk from the bagel shop to the tidal river, and all the walkers and their dogs are out on the first warm Saturday of spring. Everyone …
