Rick Benjamin

A second snow day. I do nothing but dig out, walk with the dog the best we can, one of us older (in her time), the other prematurely arthritic in one of his joints. We stumble along. The rest of the time I’ve been reading and writing. Liking this having-the-excuse-to-go-slower time, even relishing writing another recommendation (there are many to write this time of year and one always wants to sing praises as well as possible; life reduced to shoveling, walking, eating, writing and reading gives me a little more time to do that).

I’ve been reading Yusef Komunyakaa’s poetry again, and re-reading a couple of novelists I have read and loved before and, now, also do again. My books are scattered all over the house, though rather neatly, all things considered. I am blessed to live among loved ones who do not disturb open books and the who-knows-what trains of thought they are prompting.
-Rick Benjamin, Providence Journal