In a season of light, we find ourselves in darkness. I signed several petitions on SignOn.org, in the hope that gun control will finally be seriously addressed in the New Year. ...The days Are all variety, blowing; Aswirl in a perpetual current Of wind, shadow, sun, I marvel at the capacity Of memory Which, in … Continue reading For Newtown
Category: DC poetry
Wallace Stevens’ Winter
With winter only a few weeks away, I started thinking of modern poet Wallace Stevens after reading Benjamin Glass's excellent commentary on the 32 Poems blog. Here's an excerpt: Perhaps I read Stevens this time of year because his poems reflect the only type of Christmas atmosphere I can endure: mostly solemn, mostly isolated, and … Continue reading Wallace Stevens’ Winter
Preempting the Holiday Blues, Part II: Simplicity
Yesterday Jeff and I went to see the new movie version of "Anna Karenina." Although I might have preferred a more traditional take on the novel (the movie kept pushing the concept of "life is a stage," which I feel has been done to death), the cinematography was sumptuous and the costumes luxe with pearls, … Continue reading Preempting the Holiday Blues, Part II: Simplicity
Giving thanks…with E.E. Cummings
I am fortunate that in everything I do, there are people behind me offering a hand. When I was cranky and sick this weekend, Jeff took the girls out so I could curl up in a blanket and cough in peace. When I painted the living room, kitchen and dining room in the past few … Continue reading Giving thanks…with E.E. Cummings
“Storm of the century” redux (didn’t we just do this?)
After a derecho this summer and another major storm just a month ago, we're again preparing for what's been dubbed "Frankenstorm," a wide swath of rain and snow that's likely to paralyze the East Coast for days. We're charging our electronics, making tons of ice to keep refrigerator food cold, moving items in the basement … Continue reading “Storm of the century” redux (didn’t we just do this?)
The virtues of older houses
I spent much of this weekend trying to make our 1942 house - with its tiny closets, single bathroom, and many quirks - function better in our current lives. My youngest daughter is almost three and now largely trained in what not to do - pull books from bookshelves, dump contents of drawers - so … Continue reading The virtues of older houses
The Harvest
Yesterday we went apple-picking in the Virginia countryside, bringing home 16 pounds (!) of apples. Looking for recipes... I've been reading Little House in the Big Woods to my daughter, and l love the details of the family's preparation for the winter: stocking the cellar with home-grown root vegetables; hanging smoked, wild game meat from pegs … Continue reading The Harvest
Fall for the Book lineup: Danielle Cadena Deulen’s “Lovely Asunder”
This week, I'm talking about some of the poets who will be reading in next week's DC-area literary festival, Fall for the Book. (You can find the schedule here.) I've been reading Danielle Cadena Deulen's Lovely Asunder, which was the 2011 winner of the Miller Williams Arkansas Poetry Prize. Deulen's graceful lyric voice draws us into these … Continue reading Fall for the Book lineup: Danielle Cadena Deulen’s “Lovely Asunder”
Fall for the Book lineup: Brian Brodeur’s “edging through the fog”
Fall for the Book is an annual literary festival starting next week, with events throughout the DC area, sponsored by George Mason University. (The complete schedule is here.) There are some major poets there this year, including Pulitzer Prize winner and former National Poet Laureate, Rita Dove. I wanted to share the work of one poet, … Continue reading Fall for the Book lineup: Brian Brodeur’s “edging through the fog”
In the dark
After spending the last 30 hours without electricity due to the tornadoes that swept the area (after giving thanks that we had no damage to property or person), I've learned the following: Someone has to be last to have their power restored (we were among the last 200 households in Northern Virginia), and if you … Continue reading In the dark
Between Gods 