For this series of posts, we
Teaching Authors are sharing the views from our summer workplaces.
Bobbi,
Carmela, and
Esther have already posted about their locations. I’m spending most of my time at home. During a recent local weather forecast, I heard that the longest we’ve gone without rain so far this summer in Southeastern Wisconsin is three days. Everything is really green!
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| The flowers on our front hill are thriving! |
Between thunderstorms and neighborhood construction projects (including our own new roof), it’s been hard to find quiet time. But in spite of noise and dust, I’m trying to write outside whenever I can.
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| In the backyard, I raise monarchs in a mosquito net tent and grow milkweed in pots. |
Reading outside is a pleasure, too. I’ve been studying
The Granite Pail: The Selected Poems of Lorine Niedecker. Niedecker’s poetry focuses on nature, especially around her Wisconsin home. Here are three of my favorites from that collection:
Get a load
of April’s
fabulous
frog rattle—
lowland freight cars
in the night
 |
| bee in milkweed flower |
Poet’s work
Grandfather
advised me:
Learn a trade
I learned
to sit at desk
and condense
No layoff
from this
condensery
 |
| monarch butterfly, just released from the backyard tent |
For best work
you ought to put forth
some effort
to stand
in north woods
among birch
 |
| Rosy, my backyard companion, in my favorite spot |
Inspired by Niedecker’s approach to structure, I’m playing around with this draft:
wet notebook—
wind tips
leaf pockets
last night’s rain falls
again
Where are you working?
Happy summer, all! Happy Poetry Friday! Today’s Roundup is at
A Word Edgewise.
JoAnn Early Macken
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