Air by Angus Martin The air is blowing round and round the world. It must be. I’ve breathed this air before and will breathe it again if I’ve that long to live, and can offer my mouth to it. Tonight it is blowing hard; gates and loosened bits of buildings clatter and […]
MoreBooks in the bathroom are as essential as toilet paper. But not to be used for the same purpose, except in cases of emergency. And then only if the book is already full of what it will be full of if used for such purposes. For one (back to reading books, not wiping with […]
MoreTo Say Before Going To Sleep by Rainer Maria Rilke I would like to sing someone to sleep, have someone to sit by and be with. I would like to cradle you and softly sing, be your companion while you sleep or wake. I would like to be the only person in […]
MoreAt my age, birthday fuss sometimes makes me cringe. Really great presents do not, which is why I want to share a few that I’ve received. First, a friend found me these salt and pepper shakers who have been welcomed into my growing elf family in spite of the fact that they […]
MoreI love the Midwest, but sometimes living here I need a strong dose of quirky. I spent last weekend in Chestertown, Maryland with my sisters, my mother and a handful of nieces, and I’m happy to report that quirk has been dispensed. Chestertown is a small historic Eastern Shore town, population 5,000, situated […]
MoreI may live on until I long for this time In which I am so unhappy, And remember it fondly. —Fujiwara No Kiyosuke Translated by Kenneth Rexroth I found this poem in a lovely little book of my father’s called 100 Poems from the Japanese. I have no idea why he bought […]
More