Author Archives: janishaag

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 →

(for Mary and Dani) I didn’t have any of my own,yet two of them came today to help— one a muralist who has nicelyflowered one side of my garageabove actual blooming flowersand now festooned the back sidewith floral wings, and … Continue reading →

Nov. 9(for Dickie) You will think this overlysentimental, but I miss beingable to stand at the hugewindow at the gate wherethe gigantic jet has justpulled up, and, as person after personemerges from the jetway,I search for your head,the still-there hair … Continue reading →

Nov. 8 Tuesdays I rise early for me, pull ontennies and my Run to Feed the HungryT-shirt, and head over to Marilyn’s in River Parkto work out to the oldies, with the oldies,of whom I am now one. Shelley brings … Continue reading →

Nov. 7 I tuck myself in the car with tea and water,head east 27.6 miles to Mom’s housenestled beside a state park and a fine lake,pick her up between 11 a.m. and noon,drive her to the acupuncturist, then Iwalk the … Continue reading →

Nov. 6(Daylight Saving Time ends) Like the ride that takes you into the tunnel,soundless but for water displaced by your small boat,breath, heartbeat, and if you are lucky, there’s a hand close by that might take yours,a reassuring palm press, … Continue reading →

The way is not in the sky.The way is in the heart. —The Buddha But we look there for it, don’t we?Necks craned to watch the migratinggeese in their zipper formation,taking note of how blue the blue is,the clouds balloon … Continue reading →