January 2025
Bio Note: The author of 16 collections of poetry, a book of short stories, and 4 children's books, I took a break from "heavy" topics to publish in May How Can I Look It Up When I Don’t Know How It’s Spelled? Spelling Mnemonics and Grammar Tricks (Kelsay Books). As one word nerd to others, I hope you’ll enjoy the witty poems and illustrations. Forthcoming in January is my collaboration with artist Karen Elias, Small Earthly Space, a book focused on environmental issues (Shanti Arts), with Seeing Things following in February (Wildhouse).
"January Dawn" by Karen Elias
Pale sky too shy to praise itself,
trees are the first to name glory
tangled in their tresses. What can the breeze
proclaim but Yes! when boughs that could bow down
to dying, instead raise bare twigs
in winter adoration?
Poem and photo originally appeared in Writing in a Woman’s Voice
First Snow
So provisional, it almost doesn’t
count—uncourageous, afraid
of everything concrete, the frozen closes in
on asphalt, then vanishes
into nostalgia.
In the streetlight, the sky is all dust,
pale and full of flutter;
on the ground, damp pockets of no longer.
Tentative as first snow reluctant to land,
we move again toward the other,
remember the chill,
the pleasure of complete cover.
Originally published in Local News from Someplace Else (Wipf & Stock 2013)
Editor's Note: If this poem(s) moves you please consider writing to the author (email address above) to say what it is about the poem you like. Writing to the author is what builds the community at Verse Virtual. It is very important. -JL