Great Cathedrals –George Bilgere From The Good Kiss Before a date, my college roommate Used to drive his candy-apple red Camaro Down to the car wash and spend the afternoon Washing, waxing, vacuuming it, Detailing the chrome strips, buffing the…
Poetry: The Longly-Weds Know
The Longly-Weds Know –Leah Furnas From To Love One Another That it isn’t about the Golden Anniversary at all, But about all the unremarkable years that Hallmark doesn’t even make a card for. It’s about the 2nd anniversary when they…
Poetry: Where are Men When they’re Not at Home?
Where are Men When they’re Not at Home? –Reid Bush From What You Know Where are Men When they’re Not at Home? Different places. Some are out at the barn checking on the mare that’s about to foal. I know,…
Poetry: Kryptonite
Kryptonite –Ron Koertge Lois liked to see the bullets bounce off Superman’s chest, and of course she was proud when he leaned into a locomotive and saved the crippled orphan who had fallen on the tracks. Yet on those long…
Poetry: Swear It
Swear It –Marge Piercy The Crooked Inheritance for Eva My mother swore ripely, inventively a flashing storm of American and Yiddish thundering onto my head and shoulders. My father swore briefly, like an ax descending on the nape of a…
Poetry: The Marriage-Bed
The Marriage-Bed –Michael Simms From The Happiness of Animals for Eva The marriage-bed is the center of happiness, a point from which all things ripple outward, a nest from which all things learn to fly. It is the sign of…
Poetry: Samurai Song
Samurai Song –Robert Pinsky From Jersey Rain When I had no roof I made Audacity my roof. When I had No supper my eyes dined. When I had no eyes I listened. When I had no ears I thought. When…
Poetry: Coconut
Coconut –Paul Hostovsky From Bird in the Hand Bear with me I want to tell you something about happiness it’s hard to get at but the thing is I wasn’t looking I was looking somewhere else when my son found…
Poetry: To be of use
On a much, much better note…this settles it. Marge Piercy’s life work has to go on my wish list. To be of use –Marge Piercy From Circles on the Water The people I love the best jump into work head…
Poetry: After Love
After Love –Maxine Kumin Afterwards, the compromise. Bodies resume their boundaries. These legs, for instance, mine. Your arms take you back in. Spoons of our fingers, lips admit their ownership. The bedding yawns, a door blows aimlessly ajar and overhead,…