Today’s poem is by Austin-area poet, Shelly Barber, who is also an advocate for people with mental illness. The included image comes from “The Anatomy of Fear,” published by The WEEK magazine, Dec. 14, 2019. Developing Agoraphobia By Shelly Barber Crazy stalks me as a rabid fanIn love with how well I portray its likenessI cringe deeper in the shadowsBut it …
This lyrical poem, “Milkweed” is by Denver-based poet and Presbyterian pastor Dana Hughes. “Next year, hope shall grow,” she says, and we share that feeling, we all do. MilkweedBy Dana Hughes Along the dry creek bedwhere the cottonwoodshave purged their branchesdown to the last tremblingcertitude of spring withits lush belief thatnormal would return,where October’s windhas heaped the litterinto rattling mounds,then …
Today’s poem is by Austin-area writer and poet Milton Jordan, who, with his wife Anne Jordan, runs the Cypress Book Co. in Georgetown. A Grammar of Good TroubleBy Milton Jordan Have we grown comfortable with the languageof despair and the vocabulary of hopelessness we have now learned to use?Is the renewed grammar of what’s possibleoffering us a familiar structurewe’re no longer …
Today’s poem is by Austin poet, Kimbol Soques, who is currently finishing a Master of Divinity degree. Aren’t we all waiting for the experts to say: Come forth!? Bell JarBy Kimbol Soques Victorian windowsare narrow, darkwith screens tight-woven 100 years in, it’s hardto remember their gift of skyuntil I stand, nose-pressed,and look up too, spring’s greenleaves are just at eyes’ …
Today’s poem, “Resurgence” by Chris Billings touches upon our current situation. Chris is a member and co-chair/co-host of the Sun Poet’s Society. ResurgenceBy Chris Billings They watched in wonderin disbeliefas the second waveapproached the shorebiggerfastermore violent than the firstfrom which they managed to escapewhile others weren’t so luckybut they were safethey said they were safethe officials said they were safebecause …
Historically, a yellow flag was displayed on ships to indicate the presence of contagious disease on board. Austin poet, Paul Hooker, borrows it for his poem “Yellow Flag” in a most poignant way. When he is not writing poetry, Paul is the Associate Dean of Ministerial Formation and Advanced Studies at the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Yellow FlagBy Paul Hooker …
Today’s poem, “Plasma” is by Eugene “Gene” Novogrodsky, a Brownsville-based poet who writes “slices of the Texas-Mexico border” area, where he has lived for 32-plus years. PlasmaBy Eugene “Gene” Novogrodsky Shock! 5:36 a.m., hot, muggy, dark, and there they are:More than 50 people standing in front of the plasma ($40 an hour drawing) facility,And, some sitting on the sidewalk, some …
The insightful poem we are bringing to you today is by Glover Davis, professor emeritus of creative writing at the San Diego State University and the author of six poetry collections. The roaming wolf image was created by Heinz Stiefel for Getty Images. But I have Bad DreamsBy Glover Davis Fear of the virus makes us stayinside or pull on …
The moving poem we are publishing this week was written by James – Jimmy – Adair as a tribute to his father Rob Adair. Jimmy is the editor of the literary magazine VOICES DE LA LUNA and a lecturer at UTSA. MasksBy James R. Adair The dead never have to wear masks.—Carmen Tafolla ”COVID and La Calaca” You didn’t know …
Arts Alive San Antonio has been fortunate and grateful to receive strong and diverse poems from so many great poets. Today’s contribution is from Mariana Aitches, the author of two poetry collections “Fishing for Light” and “Ours is a Flower.” We chose Salvador Dali’s 1956 painting, “Landscape with Butterflies” to appear next to her poem. Vaccines I’m Working OnBy Mariana …
