This week's theme is: body. -- Showgirl Dear Eve, I am sorryTo hear of your untimely Fall. I do so hope you Are recovering. It's a tough worldOut there, Eve, darling.There's a whole packOf girls -- Jezebel, Delilah,Salome, Magdalene -- Who are pretty pissed, and Sure it's you that created theirBeautiful mess. They're walking the blame fingerBackward down the path of evilAnd it's winding its wild wayBack to you. It's fine, though. This month, whenThe rent is due and I can't pay, it's fine: I'llCall that "art photographer" I knowAnd he'll be glad to give me work.It's kinda nice, I guess,(I …

This week's theme is: body. -- Fat The secret to never-ever fallingFor the wrong man or theWrong food is to neverGet yourself in the predicamentI am exactly in right now, in Which I am desperate and Staring down theGleaming white plasticDoors of my doom and I canAlready taste the salty andThe sweet jack-in-the-boxedTogether inside thatCarton of Friendly's Sundae Xtreme and thoughI haven't done anythingWrong, after I've had myFill, I am alreadyPretty sure thatRecurring dream willSwing by again tonight, theOne where I'm naked at myOld Catholic grade school And it's time for lunchAnd I open my …

This week's theme is: body. -- Curve The wide woman in the scarfBends over her work. Used to be she noticed theRoll at her middle--Once it was an obstruction.Then she loosened theCinched belt around her Waist and let the dress fly Away from her like old daysForgotten and gone.The narrow girl's dress, black andEtched onto her sinew And bones has becomeWild cherries danglingLow and ripe, moving easilyIn the curve of the wind.    -- This post is part of a the poetry series, "In the Details" -- daily poetry and photos, inspired by where we live.  Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @smallstate or online …

This week's theme is: body. -- Pump Caroline studied Straight throughHigh school to Ph.D. Qualifies now to doOpen-heart surgery onThe philosophical meaningOf the origin of speciesAnd to dissect the impactOf relational attitudesToward evolutionaryTransmogrificationAcross multitudinalCross-cultural bisectionsOf class.Caroline has a newBoyfriend.He sweats a lot because heRuns marathons for Fun. He also Eats Honeybuns Because he can.She noticed himOn a Tuesday at the gym When she was reading andStepping. SheNoticed, mostly,Because besidesThe baseline anxietyWhich, day-to-day, Coats her heart, She…

This week's theme is 'body.' -- Parts I am walking through thePages of another magazine And I am sighing a sigh I have Given up on sighing in mixed Company; I've traded it for Screaming inside at the Parade of  parts Pieces of her, scattered On more and more pages-- Blahnik's bloodless Severed feet, Dazzling ringed Fingers still on their hands but Sliced at the wrists, a sweet Headless girl and her Perfect neck for pearls. All sold for Pretty parts. Photo credit: Headless In the Flower Flow by Lomo-Cam, on Flickr Creative Commons

Market At the market, in aBasket there's as Many potatoes asYou need, unwrappedUntagged, exceptA bit of dirtLeft on the peel.The market, the oneAcross from the school,Which Grandson showedPop Pop on their walk,And they brought homeA tiny paper bagFolded over,Filled with someChewy joy. That market, the L-shaped roomWhere meat cutsRate white paper andBoys push inTo the candy aisle,  On thatToo officious roadFrom then to now. -- This week's theme was "fast." Next week's theme is "body"-- This post is part of a the poetry series, "In the Details" -- daily poetry and photos, inspired by where we …

This poem is dedicated to my lovely friend Jamie, who lives in Stratford, though we hardly see each other.  --  Bread Bread is as Simple toMake As a friendship. Isn't it Just those fewCommon ingredients? SaltFlourWaterYeast  Just as easy asAttentionPatience TimeRoom to grow.  -- This week's theme is "fast."-- This post is part of a the poetry series, "In the Details" -- daily poetry and photos, inspired by where we live.  Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @smallstate or online at elizabethhoward.net.

Ash I put off clearing out theFireplace. I put off Other chores, too, likeLaundry or dishes, but theAsh heaping upUnder the grate is Different. Its greasyRemains are as Dead and gone asJust about anyLiving thing can expectTo be, yet soon enough(Once I transfer themTo compost), They'll resurrectIn theLife and bodyOf a backyard'sHoly andCommon tomato.  -- This week's theme is "fast."-- This post is part of a the poetry series, "In the Details" -- daily poetry and photos, inspired by where we live.  Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @smallstate or online at elizabethhoward.net.

Gorge It's no trick of etymology thatThe hills around the words"Gorge" are steepSlippery slopes. It starts with a panicked, plate-cleaningGeneration, unsure of the next morsel and Slides wildly down to All beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese... Yea though I have slid into the valley ofConvenience, I fear no evil,For oatmeal at McDonald'sIs here.  -- This week's theme is "fast."-- This post is part of a the poetry series, "In the Details" -- daily poetry and photos, inspired by where we live.  Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @smallstate or online at elizabethhoward.net. 

Darkness I rushed through the unlitSanctuary, focused on not Stumbling over unseen hazards. Past the draped and silencedPiano I stopped still and stood in the Soaring empty space, and foundAlone with one light wasPlenty enough to seeHow full the darkness is.-- This week's theme is "fast."-- This post is part of a the poetry series, "In the Details" -- daily poetry and photos, inspired by where we live.  Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @smallstate or online at elizabethhoward.net.

I am wrapping up this week's theme "ardor" with a sinking feeling. In consideration of the Lenten season, next week's theme will be: Fast -- Age The typewriter I useHas become a sideshow.Which reminds me, This past birthday I Found only one Card in my mailbox(That's the metal thing Which hangs by the doorbell,Collecting coupons).I try to explain my old job in"Paste-up" to a friend a smidgeYounger. She nod-smiles.Excuse me. I have to go look for theEmoticon For throwing up my hands. -- This post is part of a the poetry series, "In the Details" -- daily poetry and photos, inspired by where we …

Trinket I have unreasonable fantasiesIn which I am wearing a brimmed hat and Sweeping raw wood floors in a cold House on the edge of the farm we've justSettled. Idiotic dreams in which I've dug my own well, and that's what I Did last week, and before that, the Neighbor's son had to run down to the Creek and haul back our water.I've got stupid visions that find meEating just those things I'dGrown, canned or killed.Moronic imaginings where I'mSore from hours work just keepingThe few things we haveNice, and youBring home one dayNot a goat or a wool blanket,But a clear blueStone. And I dream you …

This week's theme is "ardor." Today's poem was inspired by listening to the Ash Creek String Band: Myra Healy, Colin Healy and Jeff McHugh. I sat in on their rehearsal this week. -- Today I wanted to do something a little different: write a love poem inspired by my friends who have been artists-musicians for a long time. They take the commitment to what they love -- music -- to a place of deep understanding.  Even on the drive over to the rehearsal, I got caught up thinking how brave being a musician is: if you play music on stage, you have to believe your music is worth hearing. That's …

Red Take these flowers -- these ShopriteCarnations -- as a symbol of myLove and affection for you.I mean it. These little flowersAren't pungent and they getSmirked at. But take them: Carnations are my love songTo you. A high-twang, backroads"You-fill-up-my-senses" tune.(Happy to sub into the tango, carnationsDance unaware their petals are Less red than a rose.)  Then after we eat some nice pasta,Isn't it fine if we head home a little earlyAnd fall asleep on each other's shouldersIn the light of blue TV glow? -- I hope you have a beautiful Valentine's Day and share the love with more than just…

The theme of my poetry for this week is: ardor. "Ardor" rhymes in American English with the word "harder," unlike the British pronounciation, which sounds more like "our door."  I chose this theme with a nod to Valentine's Day, but instead of chosing "love" -- which can get wrapped up in the idea of romantic love -- I really liked the idea of "ardor" -- which implies passion or fervor. That passion can be about a person, or about something. -- Nobody Stops You Nobody knocks on the doorNobody says, you can come in,Harold: This is where you live.  Nobody makes a tray of creme puffs andHam …

The theme of my poetry this week was: utility. Next week's theme is ardor. -- Aisles Girl you have never been the sort ofWoman to wander around Target aisles andCollect unrelated items unto you, exceptWhen it comes to Letters to history.So the aisles you find yourself staring inGlint with blank-insideCards in sleeves andPacks of 4x6 notes whichReveal themselves as the onliest Way to stop in theMiddle of a day and catch hold ofThat sweet memory of him. Girl you know then you'll jam it intoOld orphan envelopes andThrow a stamp on and send itTo him because you have that way of Reminding:That …

The theme of my poems this week is: utility. -- One of my husband's favorite books is Donald Norman's "The Design of Everyday Things." He always refers to it when we find ourselves pushing on a door that is meant to be pulled.  -- Bolted I imagine life might beKinder if I were a bird. MaybeA crow. Or better yet, A plant, likeThe sweet corn. Or maybe I'd likeTo just beHusk, furling and drying,Or wet earthPushing atStalks and holding upFences. BetterStillI'd say:Scarecrow,Bolted to the pole-- Eyes fixed to the EastAnd smiling;With no need To changeThis flannel shirt orEver shop at Zappo's. -- …

This week the theme of my poetry is: utility. -- Also, this week I wrote a short blog post that sort of brings together my love of NFL football and poetry. Feel free to read "Poetry, and the Flea Flicker" here. -- Most Benign Of all the Elements, water, with itsSupple shoulders and meditative Curves seems The most Benign. But she's the oneManaging Decay,Picking incessantly atGranite canyons andSucking at the eye of Hurricanes. -- This post is part of a the poetry series, "In the Details" -- daily poetry and photos, inspired by where we live.  Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @smallstate or online …

This week, the theme of my poems is "utility." -- After All I am an ungratefulHypocrite because I really like theIncandescent glow of my bedside lamp And I was pissed as hell thatSummer I went to Italy andAll the beer was warm. It's True. I adore a great heap of ice cubesIn my highball glass, and at nightIn the summer -- even though I'dRather leave the windows wide--I still find the rotary squeak of theCeiling fan like a somnolentDrug. So, yeah, I guess I'dLike to say, for the record: I feel-hear-am it but I don't understand(I mean, after all)The contradictory keening My soul professes at …

I asked my husband -- who happens to be an engineer -- to select the theme for this week. He chose the theme "Utility." I loved it. Thanks Colin! -- Enter One choice is sayingYes. One choice is saying All right. One choice is sayingOK, I will help. One choice is sayingI'll try. (Even when in dreamsMonsters droolBehind shudderingCloset doors)  One choice is sayingI'm open.  -- This post is part of a the poetry series, "In the Details" -- daily poetry and photos, inspired by where we live.  Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @smallstate or online at elizabethhoward.net.