A few days ago, snow dusted the southern landscape. Winter’s last blast showed up in a flurry of images on social media. Memory took me back to my time in Iowa. Yards seemed snowbound from November to March. I once stepped outside for a midnight sojourn in a still garden—and walked away with a poem.
Category: Garden
Hope Peeps Eternal Thanks to the Persistent Crocus
“Where flowers bloom so does hope.” This quote by Lady Bird Johnson, who championed environmental conservation and wildflower beautification, always stuck with me. Crocuses pushing up from the snow (or bare ground) promises renewal. The spring equinox is almost upon us. The poem “Fauve Crocuses” marks the coming season.
After a Long Winter, Finding the Good: “Dwarf Iris Blessing”
I remember a garden in North Carolina where a field of dwarf irises announced the turn of the season. Low to the ground, they bear a humble sovereignty—worthy of regard, as are all living things. This memory inspired the poem “Dwarf Iris Blessing.”
Hey ATL! Would Love to See You at the Decatur Book Festival
I’m thrilled to be a part of the Decatur Book Festival (20th anniversary!) October 3-4. It’s one of Atlanta’s premier literary events. I’ll be signing copies of The Tears of Things: Poems. Whether you live in Atlanta or you’re passing through town, please stop by and say hello.
Marjoram in the Mail: Home-grown Gift Travels 850+ Miles
How often do you get a “personal” message—meaning a handwritten note from someone you actually know—versus a “personalized” brand communication using your first name? With my real-time and virtual mailboxes constantly bombarded, I didn’t think about it much until a letter with carefully packaged dried marjoram showed up from Des Moines, Iowa.