Claude McKay writes of Easter flowers in his poem posted on my blog today. The photo I chose to accompany his poem is a Madonna lily....

The Easter Flower by Claude McKay Far from this foreign Easter damp and chilly My soul steals to a pear-shaped plot of ground, Where...

For Calling the Spirit Back From Wandering the Earth In Its Human Feet by Joy Harjo from Conflict Resolution From Holy Beings (W. W....

What is something you hate? Broccoli? Sitting in traffic? Superhero movies? Purple? The bangs you gave yourself? Cigarette smoke?...

April by Linda Pastan A whole new freshman class of leaves has arrived on the dark twisted branches we call our woods, turning green...

published in her book, Code (Black Lawrence Press, 2020) Caves are not caves; they are thresholds into other worlds. We enter, blink into...

Let's use today's poem, Gnats by Ladan Osman, as part of our inspiration today. I also suggest reading Ode to the Maggot by Yusef...

Gnats published in The Normal School, 2015 I can't tell why I think the dried corncobs in the gravel and the mattress under the tree were...

published in her book, The Dead Behind Us (1986, Norton) I learned to be honest the way I learned to swim dropped into the inevitable my...

A fun favorite of mine as far as prompts is our inspiration this week. The prompt is an easy one, suited for poetry or fiction. Since it...

published in Cider Press Review Hunger by Dianne Stepp after In Memory’s Kitchen: A Legacy from the Women of Terezin They dream of yeast...

published in her book, Drowning in the Floating World (Press 53, 2020) That First Night, the Hospital was the only thing left standing....

Although a condition, not a disease, chromesthesia is a great example of this week's prompt topic. Today's poem--Chromesthesia by Kelly...

Chromesthesia by Kelly R. Samuels published in Summerset Review Your voice, singing, calls up green, green of the grasses bent on that...

anyone lived in a pretty how town (with up so floating many bells down) spring summer autumn winter he sang his didn't he danced his did....

March is full of days! I am not talking only about its 31 days, but about the special days that arrive during this month. Here is a list...

Some Assembly May Be Required by Laura LeHew published in The Fem 2016 you are in denial your eyes are hyacinth red you page through your...

The Colonel by Carolyn Forché published in her 1981 book, The Country Between Us What you have heard is true. I was in his house. His...

Quaker Oats by Rita Dove The grain elevators have stood empty for years. They used to feed an entire nation of children. Hunched in red...

If you haven't already, read Rita Dove's poem, Quaker Oats, which I also posted today. You can also look up Robert Hayden's brilliant...