poetry

DALL·E 2024 12 01 08.31.36 An inspiring image of an open book on a wooden table, with soft natural light filtering through a nearby window. Surrounding the book are faint, dream

How metaphors shape our world: Reflections on David Brooks’ ‘poetry for everyday life’

A while back, David Brooks wrote a fascinating New York Times column about the role of metaphor in everyday life, titled Poetry for Everyday Life. Here’s the link: Read the article. One line from the piece has stayed with me: “Even the hardest of the sciences depend on a foundation of metaphors. To be aware…

DALL·E 2024 12 02 16.23.08 An artistic depiction of an elderly woman with long, braided white hair that has a hint of its original red. She is small, with a slightly hunched pos
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An American Beauty: A poem celebrating wisdom, joy, and timeless beauty

I wrote this poem ten years ago, and just recently rediscovered it. It’s a poem about beauty (and my Great Aunt Thelma). I visited her in Wisconsin and was enraptured for the entire visit. It was the only time I spent with her as an adult, and it was also the last. Shortly after that…

DALL·E 2024 12 02 22.05.37 A minimalist abstract image symbolizing emotional resilience and creative space. The composition features a soft, neutral background with a single ope
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Finding space within grief: The creative power of tragedy

I heard some amazing poetry on public radio last week. Terry Gross interviewed Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno, a poet whose daughter was murdered by her ex-boyfriend. After her daughter’s death, Kathleen wrote a collection of beautiful, poignant poems, recently published as Slamming the Door Open. One reviewer called her poems “spare, unflinching, and powerful.” I couldn’t…

Finding unstoppable songs: Cheryl Savageau’s poem on resilience and inner voice

Finding unstoppable songs: Cheryl Savageau’s poem on resilience and inner voice

The poem below by Cheryl Savageau can be found in her book Dirt Road Home. In addition to her amazing poetry, I love the cover design. So often, books of poetry just don’t have the cool design they deserve. The poem is dedicated to her brother, Ed Savageau. It’s a bit harsh on teachers. Maybe…

DALL·E 2024 12 04 11.01.18 A serene and evocative illustration of a long, open road stretching into the horizon with rolling hills and mountains in the background, evoking the t

Reflections on life’s journeys: A poem from Tamika Harmon’s Known and Unknown

For several years, I lived in Northwest Montana among a cool crowd of creative, hippie folk. (Before this I had thought that the only interesting people lived in big cities. Boy, was I wrong.) Jyoti was a friend of mine up there. Here’s a poem by a friend of hers, Tamika Harmon, another creative Montanan….

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