“What would you do if you could do anything you wanted to?” James Martin, author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, asked readers in a recent interview. When at Wharton School studying business, this Jesuit priest says he shared his desire to study poetry with his advisor, who responded, “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” Martin disagreed, … Read More
I [heart] Ellen Bass
Out at happy hour with Wendy and Darlene last week, the conversation meandered toward the inadequacy of language in naming non-marital, adult relationships. Boyfriend: those don’t really outlive high school. Lover: embarrassing, especially if your mother or children are within earshot. Mate: don’t dogs to that? Partner: does this include a non-disclosure clause and a corner office? Which led me … Read More
Take the small-stone challenge with Fiona Robyn
Want to start 2011 on the right side of the poetic fence? My dear friend, blogger and author Fiona Robyn is offering a wonderful invitation to to help you get a sure poetic foothold in the New Year. Fiona just introduced a river of stones, an international project that encourages people to engage with the world through writing a short … Read More
The Word is the Way
We all walk our own paths to discover heaven on earth. My portal has always been poetry. At the borrowed retreat house, I place the blue mug on the red counter, lay the dog bed down. How little it takes to make a house a home. As each turn in the travel reveals a new landscape rising up, I recognize … Read More
Making room for it all in your heart and your writing
I remember wondering if I could possibly love anyone or anything as much as I loved my first dog, Henry. The synchronicity of our beings was such that he was (and still is) clearly my canine soulmate. When Henry’s little (but much bigger) sister Hamachi entered our lives, this wildly spontaneous beast and I had little in common, with the … Read More