Hey there! Happy December! I haven’t posted in a while, but then I got this poem from Laura Rodley and I wanted to share it. Peace, love, and solace I Kid You Not The bird whose name he does not know flew smack against his armpit- the beginning of the heart meridian- smack through the car window, bounced to the floor amidst papers and cookie wrappers as though dead, eyes closed, smacked him hard enough for it to hurt, leave a faint … [Read more...]
Meditate on the positive
Greetings. It looks as if Spring may come to Chicago after all. How’s the weather by you? This weekend came and went. I saw the aftermath of a fatal highway crash on Friday. I went to the funeral of a young father on Saturday. I thought about my own father who was born on April 22, which was Sunday, which was also Earth Day. One of the readings from that funeral was from Philippians 4:4-9 (Final Exhortations). I don’t usually share scripture, but the last two verses … [Read more...]
Some summer diversions
Hey there – happy summer! I am happy to start the season with a cover shot. My photo “Petal Perfect” is the cover of the latest Olentangy Review. Thanks so much to Melissa and Darryl Price for choosing my work. Here’s some stuff I found interesting these past weeks. For Mockingbird, June 2, Sarah Condon wrote “Self-Righteousness at Home in the Twenty-First Century” and it has stayed on my mind. The subject matter is pertinent (“Because self-righteousness cuts a clear … [Read more...]
Overlook (a poem)
Who wants to hear a political opinion? Not me. Overloaded, I won't add to the mix. Which leaves me wondering what to post. I had something in mind but it'll have to wait until next time. I'm hosting Thanksgiving and running out of time. I present you with my poem "Overlook," which originally appeared in The Stony Thursday Book, a Collection of Contemporary Poetry, (No. 8, Autumn 2009), edited by Ciaran O'Driscoll, and published by The Arts Office of Limerick City … [Read more...]
News on SISMW contributors and friends & calls for submissions
Hello. Hope your Spring has sprung. Here in Chicago we have not quite gotten to warm weather yet. And the news seems to be that other areas of the country have also experienced a return to winter. I guess we should expect April to be harsh for as T. S. Eliot told us: "April is the cruellest month, breeding / Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing / Memory and desire, stirring / Dull roots with spring rain." BTW, Happy Poetry Month. Cuban-American author Margarita Engle has an … [Read more...]