Poetry

First Light It’s not sunup at Lincoln Greens, the skies are dark and gray. But I’m poised to start my work, on bunkers and fairways. The mowers sweep across the greens, the fairways and the tees. Their eerie lights, their ghost-like shapes, might startle some–not me! You lucky folks who sleep ’till eight, and work […]

tory island morning gray morning and a gray sky a sky patched with trailings of light a soft wind weaving the sea under it high hills of donegal carved on the east horizon dark gray hills and darker grays and a puff of white cloud hanging there over errigal ©John Knoepfle 2003

Shirley’s Eyes One misty morning, three visions, pleasant reverberations, came to me– your veiled face, a nocturnal lily blooming in the twilight of my hope, and a silver harp. I couldn’t discern your smile, but your eyes shone opalescent fire, more mysterious than stirred gray embers, ash glow from a burned out star. You sparked […]

old man on his birthday the family all flying in pray god I don’t die they would never forgive me I would never get over it © John Knoepfle 2003

By Lee Gurga This week we have a special treat for our readers: haiku by Cindy Strong’s students at Lutheran High School. Passionate warmth, The sweet kiss of sunshine, Summer heat heals winter blues – Hannah Rucker   A hit, dust flying A player races the ball Which one is faster? – Ricky Harkins   […]

lines for an old friend when oswaldo juarez diedsome of us did not know he was in lima a musician for musicians and that music in his country would never be the same once he had touched it with the soft chords of his guitar everyone mattered to him you felt what can be the […]

late tax return sharks everywhere the feeding frenzy

Holiday at Normandy This June morning my skiff rides toward shore, grinds bottom; I hit the beach in my father’s steps– twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine . . . thirty yards the letter said. This morning a pale regiment patrols, white gulls drive the tide, falling back without casualties. Then one more wave attacks […]

Venus Fly Trap Somewhere between puberty and menopause I have been metamorphosed by life firmly entrenched in the soil of reality no longer watered and fed by admiring glances nor warmed in the sunlight of a man’s desire I have become less Lily of the Valley and more Venus Fly Trap. –Cheryl Miles Local poets […]

dogwood branch with blossoms girls milling at the chapel door after their first communion oh they are full of life this sunday morning ©John Knoepfle 2003

This week we have a poem by Corrine Frisch from her new chapbook, Seasonal Affections. Frisch will give a reading on Wednesday, May 28, at Imo’s Pizza, 751 S. Durkin. Frisch’s reading, sponsored by Poets & Writers Literary Forum, will be preceded by an open mic. at 7 p.m. Frisch is the director of public […]

Phineas Fletcher The first tornado or the last hard freeze — I mark the dates in records that I keep, No wind too cold, no drifted snow too deep To calculate in inches or degrees. I’m partial to a good storm, one where trees Are tossed and barns leveled by winds that sweep The prairie […]