Q-Tips
Because the insides of my ears are wet I put down my chore and heed the Q-Tips’ call. I must swab out my canals while the wax is soft, and dry them so the wind no longer tingles through cooling…
Tag poetry
Silence
The long cold silent winter stretches out like a thin blanket on a loveless bed. I trust life is breathing – a barely beating heart in hidden leaves and sunken acorns frigid bulbs. The silence menaces me. No birds no…
California Cold
I flee outdoors to the sun. Cold in California where the altitude or latitude or some other damn thing like oceanic air renders caffeine neutral in my blood. Chilled and drunk on words from my host’s stack of books unread…
Memories of a Sister
A Spaniard in the Works I sold it not worth much now on eBay Sorry Would you have kept it? You bought at the United Cigar Store a yellow lion coin bank honeysuckle incense cones and a tiny carved box…
Publishing in Chalk
My children attended a tiny public alternative school in Toronto. Each year all families were encouraged to attend the graduation of the grade 6 class. This whole-school event was an annual tradition. Even though my children were just beginning at…
Chattering
Born with this big bundle bursting and chattering scattering love like dropped petals from wildflowers carelessly and carefully. Look what I picked for you, mommy! From my hot and sweaty hand she takes them, but later I find them withered…
Undertow
The tide is turning and in the draw the green frothy murk of the undertow. I see the flotsam of his needs scattered, the sad rotting angels swirling, the helpmeet dying, the precious words decaying – what am I saying?!…
An Apology to Poets
True confession. Yes, I have a degree in English literature. Yes, I’ve read the “Faerie Queen” and “Leaves of Grass”. No, I don’t read poetry. Why? Like most readers, I don’t get poetry. It’s difficult to read. It takes effort…
speaking Michelangeloly
I haven’t written many new poems lately; I’m in between inspirations. But I have been revising. I realized today that revision is my favourite part of writing. In fact, before I send a poem out to a potential publisher, I…