My favorite living American poet, and old pal, Steve Kuusisto has been living a lonely, monkish, bachelor life in a friend's basement since he started his new teaching gig at our alma mater, The University of Iowa, back in August. Steve's wife Connie stayed behind in Ohio to sell their old house and pack things up for the move to their new home in Iowa City, whenever they should happen to find and purchase said new home.
The find was made, the purchase has been completed, Steve and Connie are reuniting as we speak to take up their new life together as empty-nesters. This has inspired Steve to write a poem for Connie. Poem's called, "How Love Works," and it begins:
Sometimes if you're lucky you get to write something
For someone you love. This is a magic circumstance.
Like going to the lakeshore and tossing in a feather and a stone.
The stone floats of course, and someone you haven't seen in years
Turns up at your door--and the dear light of spring spins through the poplars
And the neighborhood is filled with...
Nope. Sorry. That's all you get here. To read the rest you have to go over to Steve and Connie's blog, Planet of the Blind.
I won't be joining you. You'll probably get all mushy about it and you know how I feel about mushy stuff.
Thanks for the lead-in, Lance. It's lovely and compelling.
Posted by: Kathleen Maher | Friday, December 07, 2007 at 04:42 PM
Hi Lance,
I'm at "The Java House" having a cup and am about to purchase airline tickets for Steve and I for a holiday trip to NY. (Hint.) We don't have internet service and won't for a few more days, so I'm delighted to discover your post in the few minutes I have to look around. Thank you.
So when was the last time you were in Iowa City? We have plenty of room in this empty nest of ours!
Posted by: Connie | Saturday, December 08, 2007 at 03:58 PM
I've written a love song for empty nesters called "When the Children are Gone." You can listen at MySpace.com/vivwolsk or watch a video at YouTube.com/vivwolsk.
Best wishes, Vivien
Posted by: Vivien Wolsk | Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 09:26 PM