ripening persimmons ::
a pink sky and the waning moon… Read the rest
Tag: poetry (Page 2 of 4)
I have traveled across the midriff of america in semidarkness
the windows closed so I cannot see
what waters stretch out before us or what cities alongside us
the darkness and smells of sleep surround me
and my companions rest their arms against my arms, thin
layers of fabric all that keep our skin from touching
as we speed through the sky in this act of levitation
and combustion
I read that the cloud industry now
contributes as much carbon dioxide
to the atmosphere as all of aviation
and I’m left wondering how it is
that even thoughts can cause tropical storms
even clouds make fire and smoke
these words depend on the cold rushing-forth of captured waters
where fish no longer swim upstream
on this plane we are all staring
at the same tiny animated visions but if I lift my eyes
this room is full of human bodies
the backs of their heads
are turned towards me, the other sides entrained
by a song and dance number illustrating
what to do in an emergency
well I think we have an emergency now
we are all deranged by loneliness
and cannot tear our eyes away
while the screens keep telling us
just a little bit further now
and you’ll be there
and all the while
there
isn’t
coming… Read the rest
The setting sun fills the darkening blue-purple sky with pink and orange streaks, vivid enough to catch my attention through the kitchen window. I step out onto the deck and the cool air on my face reminds me: It’s all still here.… Read the rest
in the train window
a flock of black birds
against the indigo sky
and like ghost birds
the reflections of streetlights… Read the rest
the shadow moves gently
across the engine
and I realize the plane is rocking very slightly
as the captain’s hands on the controls
— or perhaps it is the autopilot
so it is the hands of the engineers
who typed the code —
are just barely rocking the plane
and all of us within it
slipping through the currents of the sky
so softly we can’t
even feel it… Read the rest
I was reluctant at first: A friend had taken the ModPo poetry course — twice — and she’s now pursuing an MFA at Columbia, living in a 4th-floor walkup while her wife remains here in San Francisco. I don’t need that kind of hassle in my life.… Read the rest
Vox just dropped a 12-minute master class on prosody featuring some amazing rap lyrics. Rhyme, beats, metrical motives … this really covers some ground. Super cool.
… Read the restI made a short, clickable Tapestry story out of an old poem I wrote but had never published. I hope you like it.… Read the rest
Poet and publisher Dave Bonta spoke to me on the phone awhile back for his “Woodrat” podcast. He got me to talk about everything from how I handle submissions to tinywords, what my publishing philosophy is, why haiku is important, and what I learned from studying poetry with Louise Glück.… Read the rest