Tag Archives: poetry

Often I Imagine the Earth by Dan Gerber

Often I Imagine the Earthby Dan Gerber Often I imagine the earththrough the eyes of the atoms we’re made of—atoms, peculiaratoms everywhere—no me, no you, no opinions,no beginning, no middle, no end,soaring together like thoseancient Chinese birdshatched miraculously with only one wing,helping each other fly home. IMAGE: “Jian birds” from Sancai Tuhui, an encyclopedia compiledContinue reading “Often I Imagine the Earth by Dan Gerber”

Midnight and Thirty-Two Maharajahs Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India by Graham Wood

Midnight and Thirty-Two MaharajahsJodhpur, Rajasthan, Indiaby Graham Wood     For Rosemary Midnight, and thirty-two maharajahslook down from the family pedigree,corralled above you while you sleep.On the mantel, a clock ticks in quietsyncopation with your breathing—tomorrow and our departure edgetheir way towards the dawn.Here, this nightyou’ve notched up fifty yearsserene in sleep below these royal ghosts,oblivious of theirContinue reading “Midnight and Thirty-Two Maharajahs Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India by Graham Wood”

The Jain Bird Hospital in Delhi by William Meredith

The Jain Bird Hospital in Delhiby William Meredith Outside the hotel window, unenlightened pigeonsweave and dive like Stukas on their prey,apparently some tiny insect brother.(In India, the attainment of nonviolenceis considered a proper goal for human beings.)If one of the pigeons should fly into the illusion of my window and survive (the body is noContinue reading “The Jain Bird Hospital in Delhi by William Meredith”

Train to Agra by Vandana Khanna

Train to Agra by Vandana Khanna I want to reach you— in that city where the snow only shimmers silver for a few hours. It has taken seventeen years. This trip, these characters patterned in black ink, curves catching on the page like hinges, this weave of letters fraying like the lines on my palm,Continue reading “Train to Agra by Vandana Khanna”

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”

Labor Day by Joseph Millar

Labor Dayby Joseph Millar Even the bosses are sleeping latein the dusty light of September. The parking lot’s empty and no one cares.No one unloads a ladder, steps on the gas or starts up the big machines in the shop,sanding and grinding, cutting and binding. No one lays a flat bead of flux over aContinue reading “Labor Day by Joseph Millar”

State Fair Fireworks, Labor Day by Maryann Corbett

State Fair Fireworks, Labor Dayby Maryann Corbett Look up: blazing chrysanthemums in roseshriek into bloom above the Tilt-a-Whirls,hang for a blink, then die in smoky swirls.They scream revolt at what the body knows:all revels end. We clap and sigh. Then, no—another rose! another peony! break,flame, roar, as though by roaring they might makethe rides whirlContinue reading “State Fair Fireworks, Labor Day by Maryann Corbett”

Poem for Japan by Matthew Zapruder

Poem for Japan by Matthew Zapruder all day staying inside listening to a podcast discuss how particles over the Pacific might drift I knew thinking whenever cloud scares me I am not alone my umbrella slept in the closet I placed a few nouns in beautiful cages then let them out touched with my mindContinue reading “Poem for Japan by Matthew Zapruder”

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”