The Pianist Władysław Szpilman in Warsaw Music grows on wave crests.When the sails of sound are at half-mast,music breaks up into pebbles.Each soloist is a finger...

Change of Elevation When we first moved here, birds—red-headed house finches, I believe,a family—twittering high up in the blue spruce that hangsfrom the neighbor’s yard. You...

The Vision of Meribah I Meribah,granddaughter of Amenemhat,beloved of Ishmael,recite my ancestors’ lessonsso that you, my child, may teach them to your own. It is through...

Hollywood, Paris, Covid We both had positive Covid tests aftercelebrating New Year’s Eve a few daysearlier. Her ex sent her a text saying hewasn't vaccinating...

Meuse I Pron.: /ˈmjuz/ a depression leftin the grass, a shallowbowl, or profound, a gap in the hedgethe hog trespassed, in otherwords, not the animal but the space...

Remembrance The sun sleepsIn the dirt, here.I am less smoke, more steam,The refreshing kind of bitter. In the dirt, here,We’ll plant our feet and leave.The refreshing...

Phone Call: Grams, On Her Ex-Fiancé He’d show to work an hour late. Never have any money to go out and go anywhere. I always...

Suburban Spiritual Someone plays “Amazing Grace”On a xylophone.Reverbs from the bombingsAdd percussion. Unexpected heat drives many indoors,Even the crazy flying twin garage flags.Shadows hidden in showersBecome...

Red Tower At this height, it looks lesslike defeated, more withstood.Summer’s hottest daysin dwindle, retreatinguntil the sameas any other battle foughtand survived. I believein victory,...

Funland I stole her away, I did.I stole her away.I went into her restaurantAnd stole her away. She has a Chinese restaurantShe ran it with her...