Yes By William Stafford It could happen any time, tornado,earthquake, Armageddon. It could happen.Or sunshine, love, salvation. It could, you know. That’s why we wakeand look out – no guaranteesin this life. But some bonuses, like morning,like right now, like noon,like evening.

Her Garden BY DONALD HALL I let her garden go.                 let it go, let it go How can I watch the hummingbird           Hover to sip           With its beak’s tip The purple bee balm—whirring as we heard     […]

“The Niagara River” by Kay Ryan. As thoughthe river werea floor, we positionour table and chairsupon it, eat, andhave conversation.As it moves along,we notice—ascalmly as thoughdining room paintingswere being replaced—the changing scenesalong the shore. Wedo know, we doknow this is theNiagara River, butit is hard to rememberwhat that means.—

Summer Kitchen In June’s high light she stood at the sink With a glass of wine, And listened for the bobolink, And crushed garlic in late sunshine. I watched her cooking, from my chair. She pressed her lips Together, reached for kitchenware, And tasted sauce from her fingertips. “It’s ready now. Come on,” she said. […]

Affirmation BY DONALD HALL To grow old is to lose everything. Aging, everybody knows it. Even when we are young, we glimpse it sometimes, and nod our heads when a grandfather dies. Then we row for years on the midsummer pond, ignorant and content. But a marriage, that began without harm, scatters into debris on the […]

Coming Home at Twilight in Late Summer by Jane Kenyon We turned into the drive,and gravel flew up from the tireslike sparks from a fire. So muchto be done—the unpacking, the mailand papers…the grass needed mowing….We climbed stiffly out of the car.The shut-off engine ticked as it cooled. And then we noticed the pear tree,the limbs […]

On Closing the Apartment of my Grandparents of Blessed Memory by Robyn Sarah And then I stood for the last time in that room. The key was in my hand. I held my ground, and listened to the quiet that was like a sound, and saw how the long sun of winter afternoon fell slantwise on […]