I’ve returned to this river valley
for the peace—
to do nothing
My Mother the Polar Bear
When I was eight, I found out my mom was a POLAR BEAR. Not a nice, fuzzy SAFE polar bear like you see behind the glass at the zoo.
Read moreAssurance
Spring unlocks
when I walk up the hill,
see frigid strip of lake.
Saved by Pieces
It happened in a snap that first spring.
The cold rains of the pandemic came knocking,
remaining uninvited for three long winters.
Dandelion
Such weight, suffocating,
presses your tender
head low, crushes
Salvage
It is true that you may never look at a tree
the same way again after buying
Poem in the Manner of JK
I was walking in Midtown the other day thinking
about the time I was at a party at John Ashbery’s house.
A Thing That Counts
Out the windows of the gym’s upper level, I see the tops of pines. The building was designed this way, a purposeful view. I’m on the elliptical
Read moreDilly Beans
He died in late June my friend’s friend just as the garden beans were pushing their way above
Read moreSix Ways to Summer Mindfulness
Build yourself a pink tar-shingled shack
a wet-side complex
summer garden in early evening
fences leap
for cottontails
Canning
In the months between a promised two-week “staycation” and figuring out that maybe my factory label was a misprint, I decided I wanted to learn how to can.
Read moreLove Letter to Vienna
The last full day of my trip
I sat alone at a table for four
Small Town Gossip
The Amish farmers have staged a coup
at the open-air market on the square,
Last night there was a frost
so hard it looked like snow and crackled
beneath my boots as I crossed the lake
Innocence in the Depths of Winter
The golden glow of a fireplace
a garland of valentines strung
Ancestors' Calls
Grandfather told me
Never accept dimes when you deserve dollars
Going Home
At my life's ending
"Let us take you home?"
Head-on
Listen, love, this is it.
The world will sing
Poemwalking
I forget about the half-written story
the hopeful to-do list on my calendar