Still at It

Painting, that is. Writing, too, variously, though let's be honest, it's mostly tweaking, revising, entering contests, submitting to journals, opening up documents...and then closing them. I'm weary, y'all. Burnt. Out. I've been a university professor for 23 years, an administrator for 10. All of this without one of those magical, coveted things called a sabbatical … Continue reading Still at It

Sister Santa

The giant box arrived yesterday with the return label of Johns Island, SC. I don’t have x-ray vision, but I know without opening it exactly what I’ll find inside: Christmas presents—probably twenty or twenty-five of them, mostly small packages wrapped in wrinkly holiday paper and too much Scotch tape. Each will have the name of … Continue reading Sister Santa

It’s been months since we ventured anywhere/ and we resent the brightest days the most.

Sometimes you write something and you know it's good. You suspect it might be among the best things you ever wrote. That you'll ever write. Sometimes, you write it four years before a global pandemic and, upon re-reading, are surprised at how prescient some of it seems. Here is my long poem, "Winter, Break" which … Continue reading It’s been months since we ventured anywhere/ and we resent the brightest days the most.

Round Baby Lives!

I'm delighted to announce that my second full-length poetry collection, MOSTLY HUMAN, has won the Wicked Woman Book Prize and will be published by BrickHouse Books in October of 2020! There are no words to express exactly how much I love this book and the weird girl character, Round Baby, who stars in it. It's … Continue reading Round Baby Lives!

Calm

The presidential election has been decided and I can hardly bear to speak the name of the person who emerged as the victor. The soaring elation I felt as I walked into the voting booth with my daughter and watched her push the button that recorded our vote for the first woman to run for … Continue reading Calm

Fig. 46

If you know me,  you know I typically love to celebrate my own birthday. I like to take the day off from work, treat myself to chocolate croissants and espresso for breakfast and let the rest of my doings emerge naturally, in accordance with my whims. Museum?  Writing? Nap? Lovely. Delicious dinner with my spouse? … Continue reading Fig. 46