Friday, November 26, 2010

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Yesterday Mike and I decided to wander over to the Library of Congress. After navigating a series of underground tunnel wandering from the Cannon House Office Building to the Jefferson Building, we finally emerged before the Main Reading Room. With its soaring ceiling, grand painting, and stack of books stretching toward the sky, it was all a little overpowering. I felt as if great things had to come from whoever sat in that room conducting research. The true joy of the trip, however, came from see a Thomas Jefferson’s collection. The library has gathered up as many of his original donation as possible and then found replacements for the one that had been destroyed. Standing amongst his books, I almost felt as if I was standing inside his mind.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

To the top

I climbed to the top of the Capitol Dome today. My chief of staff arranged the visit. I had climbed to the top of dome once before, so the trip did not have the same magic it did the first time. As I climbed to the top, working my way through the metal girders and gazing down to the public far below who did not know we were there, I wondered if I could somehow survive on the Hill. 1,600 lost jobs. Perhaps 20 positions that work for me. I just don’t think it will work.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Long Run

I took a long run near the waterfront today with Donald and Mike. It felt good to get out of the office. I feel that I have applied for all the jobs that I could in the past few weeks. I am now in the “waiting game,” which isn’t very fun. Sitting at a computer with very little to do and anxiously looking at my inbox doesn’t make me feel very good. At least during the run all of that doesn’t matter. There is the simple internal push to keep going that washes over my mind and body. It fills the void where all the uncertainty lives.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Bad Day
by Kay Ryan

Not every day
is a good day
for the elfin tailor.
Some days
the stolen cloth
reveals what it
was made for:
a handsome weskit
or the jerkin
of an elfin sailor.
Other days
the tailor
sees a jacket
in his mind
and sets about
to find the fabric.
But some days
neither the idea
nor the material
presents itself;
and these are
the hard days
for the tailor elf.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Wedding
Sidney Lanier

O marriage-bells, your clamor tells
Two weddings in one breath.
SHE marries whom her love compels:
-- And I wed Goodman Death!
My brain is blank, my tears are red;
Listen, O God: -- "I will," he said: --
And I would that I were dead.
Come groomsman Grief and bridesmaid Pain
Come and stand with a ghastly twain.
My Bridegroom Death is come o'er the meres
To wed a bride with bloody tears.
Ring, ring, O bells, full merrily:
Life-bells to her, death-bells to me:
O Death, I am true wife to thee!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Shedding Season
by Linda Lee Konichek

I start to lose winter’s weight as soon as
heavy chore boots are taken off
replaced by new Airstep Nikes.

My feet fly to the upper pasture to check
for fresh grass… grass that shimmers
more green than the Emerald City.

Overnight, the wonderful wizard has
visited the farm. Like magic, tiny buds
gleam on last week’s bare branches.

I take one more look at the creek
plunging below. In a few days
new leaves will curtain this scene.

I want to buck and snort
with the horses, shed winter
like they shed their coats,

then gallop through the water
splashing… splashing… splashing

make rainbows in the Springtime sun.