What if the day
was as slender as the katydid’s antenna, the forceps of our cognition narrow
as its whip-tongue?
And what if it
was as vast as the Pacific, the Mariana Trench slipping into eternity beneath us?
Would it change you, the heart-beat beneath the tender bones, or would you still
laugh when your son dances like a zombie, a performance of gangly arms and disjointed movement determined to entertain you,
and cry when he asks you, his cornsilk hair against the pillow, his moondrop eyes blinking: “will you always be here?”
Would you still stare at the foxgloves
in the planter
in the middle of that asphalt desolation,
those blooms that some anonymous archangel has nurtured every spring day, in spite of —
well, everything, the news, the not —
and think
my God, who cares
about the sheet-shape of the day
(there are always two ways of looking)
when loving (the hands in the earth, the hands in your hair) is
breathing
*****
This piece tumbled out from a maelstrom of influences. I was preparing for a workshop I’m holding on the art of list poetry with LitSociety (sharing details below! it’s going to be so fun!) and thinking about anaphora and repetition and catalogs and inventories in general, and so that was one tent pole. But I was simultaneously, almost subconsciously, reflecting on “Project Hail Mary” (which I implore you to see in theater — Landon took me last Wednesday night and we were transfixed) and its enormous originality and hope. And I was also thinking about two pieces from my book: one on the foxglove (the flower, and the complex and multi-footed provenance of its name) and a tender musing about my son, who recently wept in my arms because he realized I would one day die (!), which I’m sharing a preview of below.
Who knows where the creative impulse comes from? All I can tell you is — it is never one thing.
Excerpt from Small Wonders
*****
LitSociety, a digital (and sometimes in-person) literary salon founded by my luminous friend Jacqueline Bond, has invited me to run a workshop on list poetry (!) this month. Details below, and you can sign up for a membership (and get access to this event and loads of others) here. Jacqueline gave us a special code: JEN_LS for $5 off.
I spent a few mornings last week shaping this workshop and — it is going to be so fun. Join whether you consider yourself creative or not! (You are, of course, innately creative, and I’m determined to prove that to you.) I promise, I have light prompts that will make you laugh and feel playful and I will never force anyone to read anything they’ve written. Let’s look closely together!
*This is also a really fun way to get some face-time if you are one my further flung Magpie readers and can’t make it to one of my book tour events. I’d love to meet you in this way — all the better to meet in a creative place and headspace.
**Putting this workshop together took me straight back to my grad student days. I didn’t realize how much I missed this kind of prep-work, this tinkering with class design! It has been wildly satisfying and I haven’t even run the workshop itself yet — ha! Grateful to Jacqueline for suggesting this event and making it happen. BTW, if Jacqueline’s name sounds familiar, it might be because she’s interviewing me at my launch event at Wonderland Books next Tuesday, 4/14! Final reminder to put this (and any/all of the events on my book event lineup) on your calendar — I need you there!
***You can sign up for LitSociety here, and use code JEN_LS for $5 off. I’m a paying member! So many great conversations and thought starters.
Shopping Break.
+Powerhouse J. Crew new arrivals: this La-Ligne esque sweater (compare with this), these “cruise shorts” (esp in chambray), this featherweight ribbed cashmere polo (colors are so good), and this bandana scarf.
+At time of writing this post, the Ruti pants we’ve all been raving about were again discounted — hoping the sale is still on, but if not, use my code JEN15. (From Magpie reader Mia: “I have to chime in on the Ruti pants. I hemmed and hawed for a LONG time as I couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger on $200 for pants that were made of activewear kind of fabric. Until I tried them on in the store! I must say, it’s all about the DRAPE. It just drapes beautifully. Bonus points for petite lengths, because that kind of cut just doesn’t translate well in regular inseams that I would then have to get tailored…Regrettably, worth it.”)
+A few favorite spring home finds: this elegant rug/runner, this “racquet club” candle (been burning nonstop — it’s just right for right now), this seashell trinket dish, these terracotta planters.
+A crisp white midi skirt to wear with everything. Sneakers and a tee. A cashmere cardigan and a flat. A tank top and a denim jacket. A blouse and a heel. SO GOOD.
+The best spring shoes for boys — these are like Natives but look a little dressier. Waterproof, can hose down. Great colors. My son also LOVES these — he always says “they’re sooo comfortable.” (How cute are the motifs on these spring/summer styles for kids?)
+It’s a good week for new arrivals — Boden’s latest collection is also next level. Love this polka dot jacket (!!!! — Posse vibes!) and this skirt set, too, which I shared over the weekend and ended up ordering.
+Veronica Beard’s latest collection is equally noteworthy! How gorgeous are this white dress and this (swoon) embroidered jacket?
+Gorgeous coffee table books: Hilma af Klint, The Architecture of Trees, and Living with Flowers.
+The Chloe kick sneaker in fresh spring colors. I can’t believe this, but these Keds are very Chloe-Kick-esque and only $65. Great colors, great shape, great silhouette. (I hadn’t thought about Keds in a very long time…!)
+Oo this new Kilte set! So gorgeous. I ordered this set for spring.
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Image via Annie Spratt on Unsplash.
