(poem was here)

When She Named Fire: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry by American Women

What a joy. I've been stuck in with the stomach flu all day. Feeling sorry for myself, in and out of sleep and bad TV. Then just now I went to get seltzer at the deli and my mail was downstairs. In it was this anthology. I've got five (!) poems in it and it's beautifully done. So many amazing female poets: My wonderful teachers--Sharon Olds, Marie Howe. My wonderful inspirations--Mary Oliver, Jane Kenyon, Rita Dove, Jane Hirschfield, Toi Derricotte, Allison Joseph and so many many more wonderful gifts: Aimee Nezkhukumatathil, Tracy K. Smith, Naomi Shihab Nye, Maxine Kumin, Jan Beatty, Dorianne Laux and so forth. Anyway, I think I'm tucking myself in in hopes that I can feel better tomorrow and crawl into the cozy office. But before I sleep I'm going to read as much as I can of this lovely book.

Night!