Category Archives: Uncategorized

“But the thing worth doing well done has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.” — Marge Piercy, “To Be of Use” You confront the back bedroom, the one next to yours, where you have stuffed books and prompts for … Continue reading →

I had to stop and think: How long has it been since I walked away from my “to do” list and all the “haftas”? How many weeks? Months? Ah… since December. Kauai with Dick. One of Dick’s best qualities is … Continue reading →

Every other year at my college I am required to don cap and gown for graduation. The faculty parade between two lines of students about to earn their associate degrees and enter our historic football stadium. We line up on either … Continue reading →

To China. Hunan, China, actually, which has not been on my bucket list, to tell you the truth. I toyed with the idea of heading there some years ago when my friend and former student, Nikki Cardoza, ensconced herself as … Continue reading →

Keep your hand moving, said writing guru/wise woman Natalie Goldberg. Don’t stop. Don’t edit. Just keep your hand moving. I add: Or keep your fingers typing if you have them poised over the keyboard. Don’t stop. Don’t edit. This is … Continue reading →

It’s been a long time since I blogged, and, looking at this site, which is now being transformed into my website, too, I’ve been thinking what I always think: Why? I write every week in my writing groups. I could … Continue reading →

(poem for a new year) blessedly empty calendar pages stretch before you seemingly endless time categorized in small boxes and you resolve again to fill the boxes thoughtfully with more wanna than hafta more smiles than grumbles shorten the to … Continue reading →

It was Kalikimaka Eve on the north shore of Kauai, which looked like most winter days do—sunny, mid-70s, the air sparkling clean after two days of on-again, off-again showers. My partner Dick and I had been on the island for … Continue reading →

(for the Pollands) You rose at 6 a.m. to see if the damn thing was finally defrosted, the decapitated hen with her big breast leaking fluids into the sink like an old radiator, too heavy for me to lift, you … Continue reading →