They Sit Together on the Porch by Wendell Berry From A Timbered Choir They sit together on the porch, the dark Almost fallen, the house behind them dark. Their supper done with, they have washed and dried The dishes–only two plates now, two glasses, Two knives, two forks, two spoons–small work for two. She sits with her hands folded in her lap, At […]
Poem: I No Longer Sing With Only My Voice
I No Longer Sing With Only My Voice –Afton Wilder I no longer sing with only my voice. I sing with my heart, my love. I no longer sing with only my voice. I sing with my mind, my thought. I no longer sing with only my voice. I sing with my soul, my conscience. I no longer sing with […]
Poem: The Problem
The Problem –Taylor Mali From What Learning Leaves You’re the this that somebody ought to do something about. — Jeffrey McDaniel The guy in front of me trying to get on the subway who is blocking my way onto the subway is not the problem. He’s my problem, but even I am not so self-centered […]
Poem: Canary
Canary –Rita Dove From Grace Notes Billie Holiday’s burned voice had as many shadows as lights, a mournful candelabra against a sleep piano, the gardenia her signature under that ruined face. (Now you’re cooking, drummer to bass, magic spoon, magic needle. Take all day if you have to with your mirror and your bracelet of song.) Fact is, the invention of […]
Poem: To Hold
To Hold –Li-Young Lee From Behind My Eyes So we’re dust. In the meantime, my wife and I make the bed. Holding opposite edges of the sheet, we raise it, billowing, then pull it tight, measuring by eye as it falls into alignment between us. We tug, fold, tuck. And if I’m lucky, she’ll remember a recent dream and tell me. One […]
Poem: The Journey
The Journey –Mary Oliver From Dream Work One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice— though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles. “Mend my life!” each voice cried. But you didn’t stop. You knew what you had to do, though the […]
Poem: Catechism for a witch’s child
Catechism for a witch’s child –J.L. Stanley When they ask to see your gods your book of prayers show them lines drawn delicately with veins on the underside of a bird’s wing tell them you believe in giant sycamores mottled and stark against a winter sky and in nights so frozen stars crack open spilling streams of molten ice to earth and tell […]
Poem: There is a land
There is a land – a Motherland of vast imaginative spaces and absolute belonging her open heart a deep well where all draw and drink freely and fully the waters of life, where we meet unknown immediately recognized neighbors share the water wander together through imaginative spaces with paths of potential to our transformed tomorrow today yes scorched land here and there but not […]
Poem: Nine Spice Mix
Nine Spice Mix –Zeina Azzam This spice mix is featured in many of the dishes in this book, lending them a uniquely Palestinian flavor. —Reem Kassis, The Palestinian Table First they tango on my tongue, nimble couples careening, then together form an Arab-style line dance stepping, stomping, swaying. West Indies allspice dazzles, berries tangling with cinnamon sticks, while […]
Poem: Sunday
Sunday –Cecily Parks So this is Sunday evening under the live oak behind the kitchen where the Rose of Sharon spills purple tea onto the grass, the yellow bells sound yellow alarms from tall stalks, and the sunflowers peep over the fence into the street where car tires lap at the pavement and walkers and joggers and dogs […]