Food falls to the floor.
I swear at my carelessness.
Dog lands at me feet. Continue reading
My dog knows why I swear in the kitchen
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Monthly Archives: November 2018
Thankful for…
I’m conflicted this Thanksgiving, my first without my son (since his birth). The world seems fraught with danger and grief, my country on a dangerous path. Amidst that, I’ve still got many reasons to be thankful, including… Continue reading
Puppets are coming! Puppets are coming!
I have pies to bake and cleaning to be done, and a family Thanksgiving coming up to enjoy, but I can hardly think about those things because…puppets! Tickets went on sale yesterday for the 2019 Chicago International Puppet Festival, and I can’t wait to sift through the whole lineup, plan a schedule and get my tickets. And I really, really, really (really!) can’t wait to see some puppet theatre. Continue reading
Thanksgiving prayer
God’s wrath
Nature’s fury
Human hatred anger cruelty
My family safe, untouched
brown air
forests in flames Continue reading
Immigration, shame and poetry
If you’re one of the 98-99 percent of U.S. residents who isn’t a full-blooded Native American, immigration is your family story. You might be the first generation in the U.S., or you might be the 10th; but somewhere back in your lineage you’ll find immigrants.
And chances are, you’ll find immigrants who were belittled, shamed and made to feel like outsiders. Even if your ancestors were among the first pilgrims, and might not have faced that on this new continent, think about why they came here. They were belittled, shamed and made to feel like outsiders elsewhere.
Poet José Olivarez is a first-generation Mexican-American, and shame and the quest to belong are very personal themes to him. Continue reading
Snow settles softly
Snow settles softly
on grass
on trees
on fenceposts
nestles in the foliage
red green yellow leaves cup it in their palms
first snow
silent snow
god’s hush descending to earth
