Porch Swing in September by Ted Kooser

Porch Swing in Septemberby Ted Kooser The porch swing hangs fixed in a morning sunthat bleaches its gray slats, its flowered cushionwhose flowers have faded, like those of summer,and a small brown spider has hung out her webon a line between porch post and chainso that no one may swing without breaking it.She is sayingContinue reading “Porch Swing in September by Ted Kooser”

Japanese Poems by Cynthia Zarin

Japanese Poemsby Cynthia Zarin Between the bent boughsof the splayed sumac the silverowl rests his head. The perimeterleft by your absence is longto walk in one day. The angel in hercredenza of extreme beautydogs swim the river I look for my heartby the lamp where the light isskitter in the wet black leaves PAINTING: “EagleContinue reading “Japanese Poems by Cynthia Zarin”

The Invisible Birds of Central America by Craig Arnold

The Invisible Birds of Central Americaby Craig ArnoldFor Alicia PHOTO: Toucan, Costa Rica by Tanja Wilbertz on Pixabay, used by permission. NOTE: The toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), also known as the common toucan or giant toucan, is the largest and probably the best known species in the toucan family. It is found in semi-open habitats throughout a large part of central andContinue reading “The Invisible Birds of Central America by Craig Arnold”

ellwood beach, 1991 by Scott Ferry

ellwood beach, 1991 by Scott Ferry climb the 2 x 4s up the eucalyptus seesaw up to a platform 20 feet high then a friend grabs the twine (a tail attached to the thick umbilical cord pulsing 60 feet above) and throws it up and i reach out and snag the rope then i placeContinue reading “ellwood beach, 1991 by Scott Ferry”

Flower Herding on Mount Monadnock by Galway Kinnell

Flower Herding on Mount Monadnock by Galway Kinnell 1 I can support it no longer. Laughing ruefully at myself For all I claim to have suffered I get up. Damned nightmarer! It is New Hampshire out here, It is nearly the dawn. The song of the whippoorwill stops And the dimension of depth seizes everything.Continue reading “Flower Herding on Mount Monadnock by Galway Kinnell”

Driving in Oklahoma by Carter Revard

Driving in Oklahoma by Carter Revard On humming rubber along this white concrete, lighthearted between the gravities of source and destination like a man halfway to the moon in this bubble of tuneless whistling at seventy miles an hour from the windvents, over prairie swells rising and falling, over the quick offramp that drops toContinue reading “Driving in Oklahoma by Carter Revard”