Off to Spain again this afternoon. It should be cooler there today than in Frankfurt, not that it’s particularly warm here yet. We’ve been lucky to have abundant rain this month and I hope it sees us through the German summer, which last year was parched and frightening.

Spain on the other hand is deep in a serious drought. When I was there a couple weeks ago I remarked about rain to a colleague and she said, “Rain, we are all thinking about rain.” It made me feel very heavy — this widespread, often unspoken anxiety. I have mastered the 4 1/2-minute shower. Another colleague goes further by keeping a watering can in the shower.

I’ve had some publications out over the past months. One I’d like to mention is Bluestem, which published some of my little box poems this month. I make these with small pharma, cosmetic, cough drop and light bulb boxes. And whatever else is at hand. With these, I like working with the idea of the interior landscape. A kind of revelation. It remains hard for me to give up language and do pure wordless collage. Have I done it? I don’t think so.

I was lucky to have someone ask to buy the one pictured, as well as another one with the same short text:

the window was open
and the poem left slightly ajar

This text is one of my favorites because I like the idea of the poem being left slightly ajar for something beyond words to come in, i.e. visual poetry. At the same time, a poem left ajar also makes me think of the reader entering with her own memories, associations and point of view. I will make more of these.

If you are interested in any of the postcards or other visual poetry I have available, the link to that folder is here. The price is part of the file name so you don’t have to ask. I can make a print of most everything from Hotel Almighty, too.