August 5

Lyrical by Joseph Millar

Julie: I love this poem for its simplicity, its sense of humor, and the sadness of its almost commonplace ending. There are poems that are great for their extravagance, for bringing me to worlds I could never have imagined on my own. And then there are those that capture something about the world I do live in, but didn't notice. I am the neighbor of a yappy dog, but never thought to write a poem about it, to ask myself why.

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At the Fish Hatchery by Claire Whitenack


Julie: I felt suspended by the first line. Expectant. Waiting for something to come around to make a case for that interesting assertion. And nothing did. I enjoyed the sound of this poem, but I wanted more.