It’s so important for us to see ourselves named and reflected, our experience named and reflected, before we can quite know what it is.~Ellen Bass This post by Lynne Jensen Lampe (link below) deftly reminds us of the importance of a community of trusted readers in the life of a poet/writer. These people can appear …
ND Poet Laureate — 1995 until his death April 28, 2022 While much has been and will be said about this remarkable poet/writer, his ability to be intensely present will be his legacy for me – and a personal reminder to carry that forward in my life. He gave 100% of himself to the conversation …
Throughout her lifetime of writing poetry, Mary Oliver was largely ignored by the literary establishment. Crickets. I have the sense she was humored, discounted, or metaphorically speaking, patted on the head for being too plain-spoken. Yet, countless readers have found a home in her words, her style, and her reverence. Some found a greater appreciation …
Seraphim in Snow Neither starshine nor moonlight. Instead, snow shine wraps me in diamond dust at midnight’s hour. Clouds cling to the earth, yet a thousand celestial luminaria light this solstice night. In the yard a host of snow angels pressed everywhere. No sounds, no footfalls. No crinkle of crenelated wings. © Published in Destiny …
I restrained myself to 3 of her poems. Not an easy constraint because I could have easily included many more—her work is that inspiring. It is grounded, tactile, and rich in imagery. The Moose inspired my poem, Shuttle to Rockport by the Sea. She said it took her 20 years to write and finish that …
In the noise and busyness of life, here are a few from Kay Ryan, who boasted about living a quiet life and having a blank history. She says, “My poems talk about that palpable silence – a creamy, latexy kind of silence, that when we’re experiencing it, is as a dream luxury.” And this quote …
Bonnie Larson Staiger 