So excited to have another poem (with one in the next issue as well) in Hedgerow: a Journal of Small Poems! They have included “Silver Brick Road” at the very bottom of the issue. I wrote it about my friend Aly who has taught me so much about the power of optimism. Take a moment and read through the issue.
On Tuesday, June 23rd at 1 p.m., I will be joining the one and only Amélie Frank at the Spoken Word Club of Laguna Woods. This monthly reading in the past has featured some of my favorite poets, including JL Martindale, Raundi Moore-Kondo, and Ricki Mandeville. If that wasn’t enough, Ellyn Maybe is now co-hosting the event! Find and follow them on Facebook to get the most current information: Spoken Word Club of Laguna Woods.
I love the teeth of your love
how you pit-bull deep
into the flesh of loving
How you make shrines
in the empty spaces,
abandoned apartments
Shrines to former residents
of borrowed books and toiletries
envelopes full of photographs
and letters in pen
How you never fill
the same space with new
but keep building out
expand the frames and floors
How you know when to change the locks
and when to nail it shut
I love how you calculate
estimate the risk
How you trust
the unnamed algorithm
the intuitive push, flashing “Yes,
love this one, let that one in!”
How soft your wrought-iron grip
holds every name tight
each face, its own story
each moment, a glass in your pane
How you refuse to argue
about the wrong
or right way to love
I love how so much of it matters
how you will forgive
as many times
as they will call
and ask for it
How you defend this weakness
with the expense of wasted time
Your time-to-give being
your love currency
not words, not gifts,
not your doing-for-me
But your minutes and hours
your speak to me, eat with me
your listen and watch with me
sit in this space of air
I breathe with me is love
I love how love-greedy you get
How you collect time
and stuff it in bags and boxes
shove it on shelves, in closets
covering walls, blocking doorways
in empty apartments
You guard-dog this house
an unapologetic hoarder
How you refuse to purge it
refuse to loosen your grip
Set shrines in windowsills
light blood candles
There is always room
for more
2-3-14
Originally published in Silver Birch Press, Self-Portrait Series.
Also listen on Soundcloud.
Incredibly honored to be in the special all women’s edition of Indiana Voice Journal, featuring all female authors and artists. They have included three poems of mine, “What I Mean When I Say Run”, “Girl in Flight”, and “Love Letter No. 3: To My Mending Self”, each of which displays a strong female voice. Please take a few moments and view the poems at IndianaVoiceJournal.com, as well as the many other women featured this month.
Thrilled to once again to have the honor to read poetry with a live jazz band. Not just any live jazz, but Dave Williams and friends. Not only am I reading, but I get to share the stage with other Poety Goddesses: Elmast Kozlyan, Raundi Moore-Kondo, and JL Martindale. Come out to CALB at the Shore (above Shenanigan’s) 423 Shoreline Village Dr. in Long Beach on Sunday, May 17th between 5 and 8:30 pm. Count on some serious enchantment!
Your arm hit the blinds
they swung like a pendulum
brightlight
brightlight
piercing my eyes you
held up your hand
to stop the sun
to shade my face
it felt just like love
so I sunk
into you
in the silence
First published in First Literary Review East and included in All the Tiny Anchors.
The wonderful editors at Pyrokinection have been kind enough to publish a little postcard poem I wrote called “To Hello Kitty from My Little Pony at We Labs“. It’s a special poem to me because I wrote it the second time I ever attended The Poetry Lab almost two years ago. The same place I met many people who would come to change my life forever. You can read this poem and many others at all the incarnations of Kind of a Hurricane Press.
My dear friend, Esmeralda Villalobos, is having an art show at our favorite local coffeehouse, Viento Y Agua on Friday, April 17th from 7-10 pm. I have had the honor of using her art on the cover of two of my books, Unanchored and All the Tiny Anchors. I am once again honored to be able to read poetry at her art show, this time with a favorite poet and friend, Raquel Reyes-Lopez. If that was not enough, we will be joined by two incredible musical acts, King Kang and Bearcoon. Find out more information on the Facebook event page, or just come down to 4007 E. 4th St. on Long Beach.
The first time you kissed me
I should have seen it coming
You were animal-starved
pawing hungry at my hips
You were hurricane-tongued
bracing me against your mouth
I pulled up fierce to match you
claw for claw around your neck
I could not hear us breathing
deafened by your torrent eyes
I did not recognize the beast
devouring my skin like victory
I wasn’t your prey or your prize
bound to be death-squandered
I had waited beyond time for you
to lay yourself down at my feet
I had hoped for honey sweet
and slow to drench my lips
with tenderness. But I—
I should have known
First published in Pyrokinection, also included in All the Tiny Anchors
Listen on SoundCloud.
The newest issue of In-flight Literary Magazine is out today! I have two very different poems up, “What I Mean When I Say My House Is Now a Park” and “Paint”. One is a memory of my young childhood house that has since been demolished and the other is a lyrical poem. There are many other fabulous poets, including my friend, Don Kingfisher Campbell. Take a few minutes and read a poem for the first day of National Poetry Month!
Sarah Thursday 