Sunday, July 31, 2011

July 31


Back in college again

(Wined, dined, and welcomed to a seminar

With alumni)

How the decades shimmer behind us --

Not melting away, but thinning --

As we name professors, classes,

When we were first here, first adult,

Everything still possible







July 30



What wit and verve,

Imagination, insight,

And humor abound

At this miniature SF/fantasy/horror

Convention!


John Rezmerski - poet, humorist


Joan Slonczewski - new book out: High Frontier

Friday, July 29, 2011

July 29


In the afternoon, going home,

Text from my son:

My old friend's death - too late now

For that talk over old times

My dear, sweet troubadour of the city 


Photo from http://www.thecie.org/mcbride/

July 28


Yes, the river view is lovely

Evening light glows blue

Above river's edge, city profile --

But what am I doing here

In the office?





Thursday, July 28, 2011

July 27

After speeding through four states,

Along river gorges, piney slopes, 

Past rock formations and wide ranch lands,

I return here to my cocoon:
The timeless river of email

Pulls me in







July 26

Campground neighbors, my road

Takes me back to tree-shaded office

And unvaried routine,

While you set off this morning for adventure

(Motorcycle, tent-trailer)

Joyous vagabonds





July 25

Outside the car

Gallatin River rushing alongside

Orange and yellow rafts bumping along the rapids

Inside the car, we are in Oxford

With Harriet and Lord Peter






Sunday, July 24, 2011

July 24

Time traveling,

I reach out to you, young and serene

In the photo --

Now decades behind this Now.

My children never knew you:

Kindest one --

Grandmother.









July 23

It wasn't the vows

That caught my heart, but now,

My brother's tears:

His daughter, white-gowned, veiled,

Dancing into the future






July 22

This is the day

We sit together

Eating wedding rehearsal picnic food

Near my childhood home

Future and past fusing:

This bright, singular moment







July 21

At Kate's house,

 We stay up too late,

Eating ice cream and peaches, watching

A slide show of travel in southern France





Wednesday, July 20, 2011

July 20

Family gathers in the fenced yard

My little curly-haired dog leaps

From lap to lap






July 19

In the dawn light, I wander

Down to muddy river

Cottonwood fluff fills the air, cushions the ground

Two large birds in a dead tree - one white-headed -

Calling "Skreee! Skreee!"




July 18

Traveling through three states:

Morning light flashes white spangles
High up, the lake gulls

Afternoon - open, wide range land
Eagle circles, circles above the road

Evening - elegant brilliance
Dazzles, the rocky horizon





Sunday, July 17, 2011

July 17

What feminism looks like, today:

there on the floor, intent,

surrounded by infant equipment,

the tall man 

diapers his daughter






Saturday, July 16, 2011

July 16

Near evening, after daylong rain showers --

air clear as clear,

clean as clean --

I hurry down to the riverbank

so as not to miss the feast:

sunset







Friday, July 15, 2011

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

July 13

Canadian air, clean and cool,

brings early autumn to mid-summer

in the ecstatic Now of the playground, children shout and tumble

I sit here, indoors, amid machine hum

dusty windows welded shut







Tuesday, July 12, 2011

July 12

At sunset, downtown,

I'm reminded
(library stretched high, people all around)

why I love being here


Monday, July 11, 2011

July 11

Crossing the foot bridge

moments from the work day,

wishing, instead

to be down there, gliding over bright water













July 10

In humid, warm silence

sitting with those I love

I discover (again)

how boring --

rehearsing these worries



July 9

Seeing you, vivid,

I renounce

the fiction, the stick-figure,

my mind created

in your name




Friday, July 8, 2011

Thursday, July 7, 2011

July 7

sunlight gone from the park, but lingers

high on piled clouds
 
mirrored, rippling, in the pond

while in darkening sky

the waxing half-moon brightens







Wednesday, July 6, 2011

July 6

 lillies    lillies  
lillieslillies         lillies    lillies lillies lillies
lillies lillies lillieslillieslillies       lillies
shouting back brightness to the sun









Tuesday, July 5, 2011

July 5

Days like this, I peddled

my red bike uphill from the library

stopping under a shady tree

to read one or two books

in the shimmering afternoon heat

clouds like sailing ships, like other worlds above me





Monday, July 4, 2011

July 4

Tall, dew-glazed grasses glimmer

Traffic absent from the parkway

Quiet bird calls near and far

A distant pop! pop! of early fireworks


Sunday, July 3, 2011

July 3


Dusk, outside open windows

Children's loud voices, and everywhere

Pop! Poppop! Whistle . . .

Bang!



Saturday, July 2, 2011

Friday, July 1, 2011