Our Spirit Life | 5 Photographs
An Act of Charity
Jared Glick tightened the purple tie his wife, Holly, chose for the Chicago History Museum fundraiser. Why he agreed to spend his fortieth birthday at another one of Holly’s committee-planned soirees was beyond him. His mother, of course, was disappointed they wouldn’t spend his birthday as a family. You can still come to the fundraiser, he’d…
Read MoreTwo Poems: Marsh; Metal
Marsh The shame of a shadowcan only be judged in the murk. His chest was a neoncalliope when hespoke in the hut. I followed the mazeon the alligator’s snout, oranges in place of teeth, thousands of teethleading to the marsh. The flood from my mother’smouth pruned my feet. I peeled my lips for dinner,the deer…
Read MoreSmall Lives
Seven years old and visiting my father’s aunt in Mullingar. Her house is full of cats. They sprawl on the table and saunter across counter tops. My mother sits on the edge of her seat, refusing tea, while my sisters and I run around the living room, trying to coax the kittens out from under…
Read MoreTwo Poems: Deer Crossing Chief Noonday Road; Descant
Deer Crossing Chief Noonday Road drag themselves to the shoulderor are hauled from the road by Samaritansarmed with shovels. A doe sleeps peacefully intactat the apex of a curve, a glancing bloweasing her into the next life. But most are split by impact,halves somersaulting where we’d leastexpect joy grateful to be sparedthe expression on their…
Read MoreService
Mom’s in a bad state. I go see her a couple days a week. Most of the time she doesn’t know me, but she still tells me what to do. Get some exercise. Get more vegetables. Get to church. Common-sense advice that everybody knows and nobody does. I don’t mind. Whatever makes her happy. I…
Read MoreThe Golden Notebook
Abigail Thomas wrote about her socks. Of the books of hers I’ve read—all of which I adore—that’s the scene that sticks out most. She sat on the ground in a bookstore and changed out a pair of socks that didn’t match her new shoes. The socks were black with red peppers. Her writing captures ordinary life…
Read MoreAdequate Home
Ole paid a friend with a backhoe to dig a pond alongside the artesian well out on his north pasture. A lifelong fisherman, Ole envisioned a simple pond and a dozen trout. He ran a pipe from the well into the pond—it filled slowly, then spilled over the opposite bank and circled back toward the…
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