Another Insane Devotion

At the beginning of a book by the same name that I haven’t read, I found this poem by Gerald Stern, now in his nineties.  He came and read to a full house last year in the Bay Area:

Another Insane Devotion

This was gruesome—fighting over a ham sandwich
with one of the tiny cats of Rome, he leaped
on my arm and half hung on to the food and half
hung on my shirt and coat. I tore it apart
and let him have his portion, I think I lifted him Continue reading “Another Insane Devotion”

Appropos of nothing

I received this poem in my email this morning, and think it’s worth reprinting here. I love how the poet starts off in a folksy way, as if Galileo were a friend, and the poet was simply remembering a conversation. Then the images of blowing paper and terrified squirrel leap and flutter on the page, each with their particular qualities.  Continue reading “Appropos of nothing”