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Unreasonably warm in Phoenix

We live in an Arizona desert town
where winter is brown and green
and summer is green and brown
with 300 annual days of sunscreen
our autumn’s unreasonably warm
and springtime is mostly too hot
here we live for every rainstorm
and the seasons—well, they’re not.

Terri Guillemets

Lonesome animals

“A writer out of loneliness is trying to communicate like a distant star sending signals. He isn’t telling or teaching or ordering. Rather he seeks to establish a relationship of meaning, of feeling, of observing. We are lonesome animals. We spend all life trying to be less lonesome. One of our ancient methods is to tell a story begging the listener to say — and to feel — ‘Yes, that’s the way it is, or at least that’s the way I feel it. You’re not as alone as you thought.’”

—John Steinbeck, letter to Peter Benchley, 1956

A January day that lives forever

In my mind —
      I’ve tried a million
      times to go back
      to that day —
tried to change
      my choices
begged a do-over
      from the universe
I’ve crippled myself with
      guilt
      sorrow
thrashing the quicksand
      sinking in
      layers of grief
fighting a sticky web
      trapped in
      regret-regret-regret
I don’t even care about
      my own
      broken heart
I’m sorry
      I broke yours

Terri Guillemets

Chasing the past

Chasing the past, I stumbled into the future.

Terri Guillemets

P.S.  Thanks to Rebecca for letting me know that this quote was used in the television show Being Erica. In the episode “Plenty of Fish,” Dr. Tom says: “Chasing the past, she stumbled into the future.” Apparently, his character is known for quoting frequently. —tg, 2009