Poetry « Across the Page

Two jars

I missed the Poetry Friday round-up yesterday. Fridays are so busy for us that I haven’t been able to participate much this year. But my friend Ruth has an interesting post on tears in the “new normal” since the earthquake in Haiti.

My first thought was of this Jill Briscoe poem, which I’m familiar with through [...]

Poetry Friday: What We Want

I haven’t taken part in Poetry Friday in ages. But this week while browsing through 100 Essential Modern Poems by Women, this poem by Linda Pastan caught me:

What We Want

What we want
is never simple.
We move among the things
we thought we wanted:
a face, a room, an open book
and these things bear our names—
now they want us.

The [...]

Curved space, Lent, and Faith

“Looking at Stars,” by Jane Kenyon

The God of curved space, the dry
God, is not going to help us, but the son
whose blood spattered
the hem of his mother’s robe.

This poem prefaces Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter. Though I’m not planning to delve much into the book [...]

Flood the path with light

If you are ever in my home, you’ll see this picture, framed and hanging at the corner beside our hallway. I got it in Berea, Kentucky, but I’ve forgotten the artist’s name. (His signature is hidden behind the mat, and the frame’s back is covered with paper.) The subject is a coal miner, and he’s [...]

Dialogue

I read the story of Lazarus this morning, and this poem came to mind. We think of martyrs as those who die for their faith. The early centuries of Christianity include so many examples of believers withstanding this ultimate test. In Lazarus’ case, Lewis invites us to think of a different kind of courage, and [...]

Poetry Friday: Journey of the Magi

There are a few good poems I know of about the Magi in the Christmas story, but I like this one by T.S. Eliot best.

Journey of the Magi

‘A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very [...]

Poetry Stretch: Games

The Poetry Stretch, hosted at Miss Rumphius Effect, is to write a poem about a childhood game. Here’s my attempt:

“pan,” “pen,” “pens,” “penst?”
“sun,” “side,” “sides” –
As sand runs through the hourglass,
my pencil, frantic, glides…

I dream of Boggle glory –
a word that doubles back
and uses all the letters
available to hacks

Poetry Friday: The Mouse of Amherst

Some time ago, Karen Edmisten mentioned The Mouse of Amherst in a Poetry Friday post. I ordered it immediately, but not until yesterday did the right time come for Elizabeth Spires’ 61-page imaginative introduction to Emily Dickinson, accented by Claire Nivola’s delicate drawings. The ultimate proof came at the end, when my 8-year-old exclaimed, “Let’s [...]

Writing and the round file

Earlier this week, I went looking for my grandfather’s obituary. I couldn’t remember the details of his military service. I never found the obituary, but I did end up sorting through my box full of old journals and throwing some of them away. There were just some things in there — old struggles, chapters now [...]

Poetry Friday: Go inside and savor

My youngest has hatched a plan to buy the “red library” (one of our three local branches) for us to live in one day.

Here’s our future home:

Since we always call it “the red library,” I don’t think she’s ever even heard its full “official” name: “Your Home Public Library.” It should provide us [...]