Anne Birkam

Librarian and bird

The wren isnesting againher first broodof babes flewinto the elderand pineweeks agoand now shehas found anew cavitycloser to mewhere I watchher come and gotwig and branchwill lead to moreflight It is flightwe are fascinatedwith isn’t it? –the abilityto escapethe burning ofMorrisonTwainRushdieeven that bridgeto Terabithia can’tbe crossed safely It is my mother’svoice I hearduring the chocolatewarsContinue reading “Librarian and bird”

But

She doesn’t knoweverythingbutevery woman knows the hula hoop – youmove your hipsto keep it movingfasterlighter pick up jacksyou must be fastwith sleight of handif you can noshe isn’tignorantshe doesn’t knoweverythingbutevery woman knows harderlongeryou must workand if yourskin is a darkerhueoh my dearyour day’snot through she doesn’t knoweverythingbutevery woman knows what she must dowould tankthe oldContinue reading “But”

What would Katharine do?

The only answerWe hear For it is us nowOnly we can restoreThe beat to a failingHeart and yesShe would haveHelped us Alas she is no moreSo –Be a journalistYourselfSo that KatharineIn her gloryCan continueTo sing. 10/25/2924

Autumn Olive

The creep is onupwards of five to ten feetoutwards into the marshesberms fencesentangled withroot of bladdernuttrillium oak Even a ciotogends up flummoxedbewilderedhare in the headlightsinvading army ofseed and airtransported into anenemy territorywith no enemiesa wisp of thesilver tongue isall it needs to conquerthis dense thicketthis wily invaderis bane to theconservationistnaturalistleaner towards thebeneficial towasp and waxwingalikeContinue reading “Autumn Olive”

Say anything

I hate the very thought of this relying on the throat of hissing judges who reside under the slaveowner’s gun – threaten a nail a finger a tongue I’d cry too Such little men- they need to brag autocracy is their lifeline to the stars which hang above us shining light onto the dark guidingContinue reading “Say anything”

Tourists

They come- visitors with a bang, knocking on the door of this closed museum, no hours of operation will keep them home. Their sense of rule bewilders me, I would not sully your floor if you invited me inside your door. And no amount of anger would let me disrespect the desk where you workContinue reading “Tourists”

America in Bedlam

The patient – post operation Sleeps in the ICU Infection seeps all around her Will she make it through? And how much will she suffer Will she need blood to get by Can buffering keep her going Before she finally dies? The patient – she needs each one of us With a smooth and lovingContinue reading “America in Bedlam”

Captain Courageous

Oh lily, my lily, with bloom of brightest gold here for a while – then gone in the summer storm, but while you were here on the living breath did shine every bee the nectar inclined to better times such a cameo performance! strengthening all who feed history will not forget my golden lily –Continue reading “Captain Courageous”

Niobe in the mist

There is a tomato I have grown, the great white, circumference perhaps four inches, color a yellow so pale you can almost see your face upon its skin. And when you slice and eat of it, then you know what greatness truly is. I am dreaming tomatoes these days, their colors range from the deepestContinue reading “Niobe in the mist”

The fear peddlers

So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. – Franklin Delano Roosevelt You know – there is a market for this – the selling of terror to the blanketContinue reading “The fear peddlers”