Poets teach us to look with our own eyes
Poetry should…should strike the reader as a working of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost a remembrance. -John Keats We are a nation of seekers. We look outside ourselves for salvation, for what our perspective should be, for how and what to think, when turning the looking glass inward …
Poets help us inhabit a new space
Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. -Leonard Cohen It’s April 1st, and you know what that means. No, I’m not finished with my women’s history month posts so we’ll just pretend that women’s history month is every month …
Women keep lighthouses – Ida Lewis
Toughness doesn’t have to come in a pinstripe suit. -Dianne Feinstein Used to be, and in some places still is, women could only expect to be teachers, nurses, or secretaries, as my friend Janna writes in a recent story. Noble professions all, among the very noblest and most important, and …
Seeking Becky Hansen
I’m looking for Becky Hansen, one of the fabulous artists who created art for my upcoming book, LIFE IS A VERB. The email address I have for her is coming back undeliverable and the publisher needs to reach her. Becky – if you are out there somewhere, send a sign. …
Women do invisible work
Invisible Work Because no one could ever praise me enough, because I don’t mean these poems only but the unseen unbelievable effort it takes to live the life that goes on between them, I think all the time about invisible work. About the young mother on Welfare I interviewed years …
Women even relax sometimes.
A few days on a wee island. Sand. Confused Dog. Two (rapidly) aging parents (um, that would be me and Mr Brilliant). Three kids (and no, I’ve not been hiding one, and haven’t given birth recently–Emma brought a friend because we are so completely and totally boring to be with …
Some days are birthdays
What kind of deranged obsessive stalker quivering groupie would I be if I neglected to wish Mr Collins a happy birthday today, this 22nd of March… Sweet Billy turns 67 today. What a fine age. Imagine my delight at finding this treasure trove of Billy online yesterday, reading one of …
Women sing hallelujah – k d lang
Another voice important to me, that of k.d. lang. (I especially love her beautiful, beautiful reaction to the standing ovation at the very end of this video). My friends Smarty Butt and Pretty Boy went to see her in concert last night in Seattle and reminded me of the power …
