James Crews: Tomatoes
He came back grinning, gripping
a bag of homegrown Beefsteaks so fat
they were already bursting their juices
through the brown paper
Edgar Lee Masters: David Matlock
Except as it swarms in the sun-light of youth,
Strengthening its wings on what has been gathered,
And tasting, on the way to the hive
From the clover field, the delicate spoil.
Kaveh Bassiri: Writing Persian
During the hostage crisis, when I was Albanian,
my history teacher conceded, “You’ve to be born into English
to be its rightful citizen.” I wanted to be an American poet,
but was a Persian settler.
Rachel Hadas: Fingernails
Vanessa Redgrave thought whatever
separates life and death
is tiny as the sliver of a fingernail.
Rick Campbell: What I Might Want Today
If I lived dedicated
to the pursuit of beauty what old roads would I walk,
how parallel the roads to truth? Could I get
there from here, in this little poem?
Martina Reisz Newberry: “Rachel is weeping for her children…”
I imagine I can see
scratched and scarred places on
my children’s bodies.
They are the places where I
used to live
Michael Simms: Consider the Hummingbird
Consider the hummingbird
How like the mind it is
Rev. John Dear: Daniel Berrigan and his fearless nonviolence, at 100
Five years since his death and 100 since his birth, legendary priest, author, poet and activist Daniel Berrigan continues to offer wisdom and insight on living a life of creative nonviolence.
Emily Dickinson: I had been hungry, all the Years
The Plenty hurt me – ’twas so new –
Myself felt ill – and odd –
As Berry – of a Mountain Bush –
Transplanted – to a Road
Lena Khalaf Tuffaha: Lullaby
We want things smaller than we know.
A vessel strong enough
to lift you into tomorrow,
Jason Baldinger: Copper Heads
america your wars are endless
but none is longer than the one
you’ve had with yourself
Linda Parsons: Two Poems
Glad as I was to see
the wasp squirm in the web, shields aquiver,
lance of its ass lowered, I was not prepared
for her glittering approach.
Amy M. Alvarez, Jameka Harley: How Black poets and writers gave a voice to ‘Affrilachia’
A turning point took place 30 years ago, when Black Appalachian culture experienced a renaissance centered around a single word: “Affrilachia.”
Ted Kooser: Mudflaps
Out driving, I like to come up behind trucks
with mudflaps, chalky, slate-colored ones
hanging onto their hard jobs
