Author Archives: janishaag

William Shakespeare’s birthday is traditionally celebrated April 23, though the date of his birth was not recorded. But because he was baptized April 26, 1564, which often happened when babies were three days old, his birth is celebrated on the … Continue reading →

for Lauren, Gerald and Kyle I like to think it’s not becauseI slipped Kyle some small bitsof beef that his grandpa grilledin the backyard and the familyate on the deck under the old oak, or because I fussed over himas … Continue reading →

Earth Day—April 22, 2023 They floated around out there, the Apollo 17crew in my 14-year-old imagination, snappingphotos on a space-age Polaroid, the device spittingout a damp image spit from its slotted mouth, astronaut hands waving it dry in the artificialatmosphere … Continue reading →

for Lisa Morgan Folsom Lake, next to Mormon Island Auxiliary Dam I have come again to the granite bouldersbeneath the oak tree on the angled hilllooking down at the lake—this spotI occupied a few weeks ago—to see what has changed. … Continue reading →

When, in the midst of an online discussion,someone says the word tree and invitesyou to envision that tree—a magnificent tree with a strong trunk, one with roots reachingdeep into the earth, drawing up what is neededto grow and live, a … Continue reading →

for Rose Varesio on her birthday Heads bowed, the first roses of the seasonhang heavy on strong stems, some as thickas crayons brushing the spring green grass. They do not look up when I pass, so I lifttheir crimson chins … Continue reading →

I sit on the rosy pink pottyin the bathroom my sister and I share,automatically look to the right,to the wall above the toilet papernestled in its chrome cave,study the list in my neatestsixth grade printing taped there, a carefully constructed … Continue reading →

Last year, out of town, I missedthe hanging lavender lanternsmorphing the driveway trellisfrom a mess of bare sticksweaving over under, under overinto the annual leafy bower. Wisteria envy has seized melike another seasonal allergy,so I want to soak up the … Continue reading →

You could’ve said no, but you didn’twhen I asked you to heft that melon,sagging like an ancient breastlying in the cold drawer of the fridge, walk it to the big greenbin on the driveway where leavesand lawn clippings mingled withdroopy … Continue reading →

I love how forgiving you are, which is good because I have some news.—from the “Take a Compliment” card set No, I’m not breaking up with you.No, no one died. Well, I’m sure someone did, but not anyone we know.At … Continue reading →