Here’s where the muse runs amok. Lately, she’s just kicking around to keep me sane.
Thanks, coronavirus 2020.
Welcome to my blog.
Virtual Insanity
Hello? Is anybody out there? If you are, go ahead and picture this classroom. Twenty-four empty desks in untouched rows, each spaced two arms-length apart. The stinging smell of hand-sanitizer and disinfectant chemicals overwhelm. A small, green aloe plant grows in the window-sill, bending toward the sunlight that makes each desk gleam. Twice a day…
For the people we don’t get to see
Mema’s Hymnal On morningswe wentto church, I sat by Mema practicing my solemn prayer and sneaky wonder. By her, I learned the art ofsly side-eye survey of heads bowed,eyes closed, palms, pressed neatly, in laps. By her, I writhed in itchy tights, wiggling endlessly on hard pews; Mema, always gentle with theknee pat, freed my fingers to be-come horses galloping across Bibles, jumping over…
Tuesday, the last day of March, 2020: an earthquake in Boise?!? This is going to require three more haikus
My experience is that weird comes in threes. March now has too many to count. But I feel as though a final third haiku in this set will reset the balance. In like a lion, out like a lion Oh. Spring does its thing.Earthquakes — I guess — do too. Shookto the bone. Now what?
Sunday, March 29th: weekend edition haikus
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.” — Charles Dickens
Friday, March 27th: Haikus from homeschool, ya’ll
If you’d like to contribute a haiku, please do! Email it to kaidistroud24@gmail.com along with the photo that inspired it, your age and location. Just because we’re home-bound, doesn’t mean we’re prisoners to the pot.
Thursday, March 26th: spring forth, you writers!
Thursday, March 26th: Spring is imploring us to take advantage of the fact that we’re home-bound. It is calling out to our productive energies, tuning our senses to its triumphs, growth, and natural rhythms. I feel it tempting us to join in the creative fun. Don’t you? So here’s the challenge. Take a walk outside…
Tuesday, March 24th: bad news and fart jokes from the trenches
Tuesday, March 24th: Last night the state of Idaho mandated that schools remain closed until April 20. *Collective scream into pillow.* In other news, ever since my spouse learned that loss of taste and smell are symptoms of coronavirus, he has taken it upon himself to administer his own tests. We, his loving and unsuspecting…
Saturday, March 21: flatten the curve
Saturday, March 21st: Yesterday was the first day of spring. Purple iris blooms in my newsfeed, and I catch myself trying to snap a photo of the Downy woodpecker snacking on the still-budless tree in our backyard. As dusk falls, we open a window, cram into bed, and lay like sardines craning our necks to…
Wednesday, the 18th: Lady P Turquee
(A poem! A poem!) Yesterday was hard.I fought the blues, I didn’t run. I did, however, buy a ukulele. It’s frivolous, I know, cavalier, even, to be going to a music store at this point. But this uke was turquoise…smooth and light in my handsa calm, cool soprano promising to sing. And friends, through texting, helped name her:Lady P TurqueeOh,…
Tuesday, March 17th: it's all happening at home now
Tuesday, March 17 — The daily routine now looks like this: 5 a.m. — Matthew and I wake up and go to our respective work stations. I work at the kitchen table with a tiny chromebook that can be tucked underneath the napkin basket when it’s time to eat. The kitchen table is also situated…
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Read. Write. Repeat. 