Tiptoeing Toward the Mistletoe

First, a little bit of inspiring news--one of DC's own, J.D. Smith, just won a NEA Fellowship for Poetry. Find out more about his work here. Congratulations John!

While I'm playing cheerleader, a heads-up for NY folks on what will be a great reading: BROOKLYN READING WORKS presents AN EVENING WITH 32 POEMS with Deborah Ager and poets Daniel Nester and Terese Coe at the Old Stone House on Thursday December 14th at 8 p.m . Fifth Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets..."Refreshments. Books and Magazines for Sale. A raffle. Fun."

Ethelbert Miller was kind enough to host me on his Sunday E-Notes, so for an extension of my Milosz rambling look here (scroll down a bit).

I came to the blog today to rave about Carolyn Forche's reading at the Folger on Monday, which was for the annual Emily Dickinson tribute. But I find myself long on awe, short on words. So I will just quote from The Blue Hour, part of a 42 PAGE-long poetic sequence alphabetized by line...



"half-tracks and yellow-eyed transports, and behind them a long road
happens when you say yes
happiness without fulfillment

having made herself stands she was at rest
hayloft, hillock, hoarfrost, hush"

...and note, in another poem, I'd never heard a more nuanced placement of the word "scapula." The little things are what stick with me.