Author Archives: janishaag

You don’t need a blueprint forlife—though many days you’velonged for one. You could usea map, paths neatly indicatedwith brightly blinking arrows—maybe in glittery pink—this way—and other signs with black x’s—not this way. Would it be so much skinoff God’s nose … Continue reading →

(for Louise Bierig) Before she left Canada,Louise wanted to swimin Lake Erie one more timeto help fortify her forthe drive home to Media,Pennsylvania. I brought my suit, notexpecting to use it to takemy first dip in in a Great Lake,but … Continue reading →

(for my Amherst Writers & Artists colleagues) A dozen writers stand onthe Canadian side, where, I’veheard, the best views reside, and that turns out to be true,the gigantic froth of HorseshoeFalls thundering as it straddles the border—an unbroken curtain2,500 feet … Continue reading →

(for my Amherst Writers & Artists colleagues) Oh, my dear,whispers the goddess,what you hold in youronce-slender hand— fingers now thicker, yes,the road maps of your liferunning into your knuckles,this hand that has held thousands of implementsfor writing or drawing—is a … Continue reading →

(for Louise Bierig) I see my first Great Lakefor the first time on the lastday in September, Truthand Reconciliation Dayin Canada, the same day Iwatch Louise wade farfarfarinto the shallows of Lake Erie,eager for a swim. This is her lake; … Continue reading →

(for Sue Reynolds) When Sue suggests, on my first nightat her house, snipping some mojitomint from the garden for tea, I grinand wiggle like Whiskey, the big dogwho accompanies her into the dark.She returns, flicks off the lamp strappedto her … Continue reading →

(for Sue and James) It doesn’t have a name other thanThe Pond, its caretakers tell me. To them, it is not big, but here,in the great province of Ontario,there must be thousands of smallponds and lakes in a place whererainfall … Continue reading →

(for Sue Reynolds and James Dewar,stewards of the pond) Sitting atop the small damnext to the pond, I watcha squadron of dragonfliesflit like tiny biplanes, comingto rest in the sun next to me. The large blue dashers hoverclosest to the … Continue reading →

At 35,000 feet I queueat the rear of the Airbusfor the loo, lean over a pairof temporarily vacated seatsfor a gander out the ovalporthole to the sky. The blue upper atmospheregleams as sun rains onscudding clouds far below us,and I’m … Continue reading →

More fly than dragon,you, dragonfly, tinybiplane touching down • • • Agile flyer, you,dragonfly, flitting forward,then backward with ease • • • Dragonfly brings change,rebirth as tiny biplane,wingéd happiness • • • (Dragonflies belong to the infraorder Anisoptera, from the … Continue reading →