Author Archives: janishaag

for Kevin and Lauren My sister and I had an antiqueinherited from who knows where—a heavy metal, fat rubber-tiredmodel that our father refurbished,a slowpoke model that made itharder for me, the klutzy one,to fall off, but a form of transportthat … Continue reading →

the brand new stove—first thing I’ve cooked on it—the gas burner igniting, all systemsgo, like the rocket called Artemis,this week heading for the moon, she the goddess of the hunt,of wild animals, of vegetationlike the peas I add to the … Continue reading →

As a kid, reading about writersstarving in a garret, I never thoughtI’d have one—not starving…I could not write without snacksat hand—hummus and veggies,peanut butter cups, sunflowercookies—but a garret. Now here I am with three otherswriting up a storm on a … Continue reading →

As in leasing again? As in letting go?All of that as I pull clothes out of drawers,off hangers, wearables I should have donatedyears ago when they were semi-fashionable,when someone might have happily picked upthe midi dress that now looks so … Continue reading →

I suppose I should thank the dirty ratswho decided to nest behind the fancyrange that came to live with me 18 yearsago when I had the kitchen remodeled, and I definitely need to thank Leamanthe handyman, who has pulled out … Continue reading →

If I’d’a known you couldjust create a new holidayaround loving to write,I’d have done so when I was about 10, sitting inthe old leaning tower of oakin my parents’ backyard,nestled in the crook of the main trunk and twoslender horizontal … Continue reading →

I loved you the first time I saw youAnd I always will love you, Marie—Randy Newman, “Marie” (for Rose) I can feel the slide into the boothin a restaurant in a buildingno longer there wheremy poet friend Marie and Iwould … Continue reading →

It all turns on affection.—Wendell Berry For every kindness I extend,at least three bounce backlike happy red rubber balls,and if I think to catch them,what a delight to bounce them to someone who wasn’t expectingthe surprise of a compliment—the amazing … Continue reading →

Do I contradict myself?Very well then I contradict myself,(I am large, I contain multitudes.) —Walt Whitman, from “Song of Myself” In Scrabble, the wordpoetis worth only six pointsunlike 10-pointersQ and Z Though I understandthat the most commonlyused letters garnerthe fewest … Continue reading →

Beauty survives in a world of grief. —Deborah Meltvedt We find ourselves grievingsomeone, something most days. The cherished pet, longtimecompanion, gone in an eyeblink.The dearest wife, who arrivedonly recently, enlightening our lifetogether, dying slowly, leavingso much beauty in her wake.The father, … Continue reading →