J.R. Solonche
I Didn’t Go This Morning I didn’t go this morning,so I spent the morning not going. I didn’t do it this afternoon,so I spent the afternoon not doing it. I didn’t hear it this evening,so I spent the evening not hearing it. But this morning was well-spent.And this afternoon was well-spent. And this evening was well-spent.All day, all day, I got my money’s worth.
Ice
The ice thawingon the lake singsas it turns backto water againa song neitherhappy nor sad,but just a simplewordless tunefor going home.
The Trees Must Know The trees must know.I don’t know how, but they must.At least the wild cherry must know,for look at how its two secondary trunksrise up from its main trunk like arms upraisedto heaven, and how the larger branches are the palms of hands,and how the smaller branches are the fingers of hands,all asking, “Why?”
J.R. Solonche has published poetry in more than 400 magazines, journals, and anthologies since the early 70s. He is the author of Beautiful Day (Deerbrook Editions), Won’t Be Long (Deerbrook Editions), Heart’s Content (Five Oaks Press), Invisible (nominated for the Pulitzer Prize by Five Oaks Press), The Black Birch (Kelsay Books), I, Emily Dickinson & Other Found Poems (Deerbrook Editions), In Short Order (Kelsay Books), Tomorrow, Today and Yesterday (Deerbrook Editions), True Enough (Dos Madres Press), The Jewish Dancing Master (Ravenna Press), If You Should See Me Walking on the Road (Kelsay Books), In a Public Place (Dos Madres Press), To Say the Least (Dos Madres Press), The Time of Your Life (Adelaide Books), The Porch Poems (Deerbrook Editions , 2020 Shelf Unbound Notable Indie Book), Enjoy Yourself (Serving House Books), Piano Music (nominated for the Pulitzer Prize by Serving House Books), For All I Know (Kelsay Books), A Guide of the Perplexed (Serving House Books), The Moon Is the Capital of the World (Word Tech Communications), Years Later (Adelaide Books), The Dust (Dos Madres Press), and coauthor of Peach Girl: Poems for a Chinese Daughter (Grayson Books). He lives in the Hudson Valley.
Ice
The ice thawingon the lake singsas it turns backto water againa song neitherhappy nor sad,but just a simplewordless tunefor going home.
The Trees Must Know The trees must know.I don’t know how, but they must.At least the wild cherry must know,for look at how its two secondary trunksrise up from its main trunk like arms upraisedto heaven, and how the larger branches are the palms of hands,and how the smaller branches are the fingers of hands,all asking, “Why?”
J.R. Solonche has published poetry in more than 400 magazines, journals, and anthologies since the early 70s. He is the author of Beautiful Day (Deerbrook Editions), Won’t Be Long (Deerbrook Editions), Heart’s Content (Five Oaks Press), Invisible (nominated for the Pulitzer Prize by Five Oaks Press), The Black Birch (Kelsay Books), I, Emily Dickinson & Other Found Poems (Deerbrook Editions), In Short Order (Kelsay Books), Tomorrow, Today and Yesterday (Deerbrook Editions), True Enough (Dos Madres Press), The Jewish Dancing Master (Ravenna Press), If You Should See Me Walking on the Road (Kelsay Books), In a Public Place (Dos Madres Press), To Say the Least (Dos Madres Press), The Time of Your Life (Adelaide Books), The Porch Poems (Deerbrook Editions , 2020 Shelf Unbound Notable Indie Book), Enjoy Yourself (Serving House Books), Piano Music (nominated for the Pulitzer Prize by Serving House Books), For All I Know (Kelsay Books), A Guide of the Perplexed (Serving House Books), The Moon Is the Capital of the World (Word Tech Communications), Years Later (Adelaide Books), The Dust (Dos Madres Press), and coauthor of Peach Girl: Poems for a Chinese Daughter (Grayson Books). He lives in the Hudson Valley.