Category Archives: poetry

A Virtual Sign

Posted on June 21, 2020 by jyourist

I see him tracing the letters in the air,His hands rotating his brushAs he paints this last virtual sign.I have never seen his expertise so close up before.I always focused on the letters he produced when I watched him paint—Never … Continue reading →

Posted in father, poetry, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

“Choices We Make When We Are Too Young To Make Them” by Lois Parker Edstrom

Posted on August 7, 2016 by jyourist

Evenings at the table with my father, stewing over algebraic equations, chemical reactions, my young life sloped toward science and healing. He didn’t recognize, nor did I, how I fingered letters the way the devout touch prayer beads, that I … Continue reading →

Posted in parents, poetry, relationship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Relax” by Ellen Bass

Posted on July 20, 2016 by jyourist

Bad things are going to happen. Your tomatoes will grow a fungus and your cat will get run over. Someone will leave the bag with the ice cream melting in the car and throw your blue cashmere sweater in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddhism, fruit, poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“The Man with the Beautiful Eyes” by Charles Bukowski

Posted on July 10, 2016 by jyourist
Posted in animation, poetry, short films, videos | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Nobody’s Sonnet” by Kurt Olssun

Posted on July 6, 2016 by jyourist

as it appeared in The New Republic, October 21, 2009.

Posted in poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Emily Rose at Green Mill

Posted on May 25, 2016 by jyourist

Sunday night we went to the Green Mill for Emily Rose’s promotion of her new poetry book Mouthy. Her presentation was preceded by the weekly poetry slam. The Green Mill is over 100 years old and has an edgy history. … Continue reading →

Posted in performance, poetry, relationship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Still Life with Gratitude” by Dean Rader

Posted on May 23, 2016 by jyourist

One day, the scientists tell us, every star in the universe will burn out, the galaxies gradually blackening until the last light flares and falls returning the all to darkness where it will remain until the end of what we … Continue reading →

Posted in death, poetry, relationship, stars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Private Diamonds

Posted on May 12, 2016 by jyourist

JB sent the following to me yesterday accompanied by his photograph (above) taken in our wet west garden: Private Diamonds Pain guides our lives very well. Take the stone from your shoe and by a miracle it replaces itself, a … Continue reading →

Posted in garden, peonies, photography, poetry, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A virtual sign

Posted on April 12, 2016 by jyourist

I see him tracing the letters in the air, His hands rotating his brush As he paints this last virtual sign. I have never seen his expertise so close up before. I always focused on the letters he produced when … Continue reading →

Posted in art, death, memory, poetry, Uncategorized, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“The visible and the in-” by Marge Piercy

Posted on March 31, 2016 by jyourist

Some people move through your life like the perfume of peonies, heavy and sensual and lingering. Some people move through your life like the sweet musky scent of cosmos so delicate if you sniff twice, it’s gone. Some people occupy … Continue reading →

Posted in flowers, peonies, photography, poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment