Author Archives: janishaag

It is time to remember the unfolding,To remember the river comes to me.—Meg Kaczyk, from “Still, Life” ••• I am one of the folded—like an accordion,both instrument and file, the bright yellow origami boxfolded by a retired engineering professorthat sat … Continue reading →

(in memory of Margery Thompson) And now, on the brink of the first birthdayyou are not with us, rather than think about that, or your finalbirthday barely two weeks before you lifted off, surely, into the heavenyou imagined, I stumble … Continue reading →

(for Maxi, the moggy* at my house) Dude, forgive me.I missed your dayfour days ago. It’s not as ifevery day isn’tCat Day around here,but when all catsacross the globe are celebrated, andyour clueless personmissed it, well, yipe. To you,my mama’s … Continue reading →

(for Joan Stockbridge) If one is waving, perhaps bobbingits orange head in your direction, whether you’re a native or exotic,take it as a friendly greeting, a botanical hello, especially onthe hottest days. They’re meant to thrive when the sun blares, … Continue reading →

Twenty little toesies—10 crimson and 10 rosy pinkon lime green flops— nicely pedi’d, calves massagedby hands that remolded oursinto happy feet always a fine way to celebratea belated birthday becausedates don’t matter to toesies all spiffed up and ready toliterally … Continue reading →

(Ashland, Oregon) Anxious to find a parking spacetoo close to the time of our final play, I crept slowly up the hill by the park,invoking the trusty parking fairy, who must’ve been off preparing forher night’s work onstage— because it … Continue reading →

And we have seen six marvelous onesin four days— we Came From Away to see Emmafinagle relationships, including,unknowingly, hers, were swept back to 2001 withthe plane people and their gracioushosts in Gander, saw a shrew tamed (and watchedher tame a … Continue reading →

(for Nikki) We have tea’d in Guangzhou wherea young woman presented a carved boxwith the gift of chrysanthemum tea, where we watched little yellow flowersbloom in hothot water pouredfrom a heavy bronze pot. We have sky-high tea’d in Hong Kongatop … Continue reading →

(Lithia Park, Ashland, Oregon) Not until we rise after sittingon a bench by the pond fora good half hour talking, as we do, about so many thingsin our lives, does it strike methat we have been reflecting on the past … Continue reading →

I boarded a plane with you,nervous flyer, though you’d flownacross the world more timesthan I ever will, to go get the girl, deep in China,who became your daughter,waiting for the one she wouldcall Mama. That 7-year-old in the too-smallwheelchair, the … Continue reading →