by Joe Engel It was July 4th, and Lisa leaned against the fuel door of Jim’s Chevy Nova. It was stalled on the shoulder of highway H. She stared down the flow of traffic, but didn’t wave them over. They swerved wide as they passed. It was a dry summer. The hot wind pushed her…
Author: ArtRoot's Writer-In-Residence
The ArtRoot Writer-In-Residence (WIR) project is an initiative founded by ArtRoot, a collaboration of artists and arts advocates who are determined to reinvigorate Racine, WI through the arts. This project is supported by the Racine Literacy Council, and funded through a generous grant from the Osborne & Scekic Family Foundation.
This project seeks to spotlight Racine and Kenosha’s dynamic literary community while encouraging, supporting, and advocating on behalf of writers at all stages of their careers.
Someone Else May Remember You Differently
By Joe Engel Seeing your name, Jason, etched in the red brick below me I recall you most in the summer of 1984. You so trustworthy, so good, I allowed you into our fort, made of branches in a half circle against a fence, like a teepee, to see the collection of magazines my neighbor…
Custodian’s Song 2
by Joe Engel I’ve heard, one mopping a tile floor can achieve a state of Zen. Wet strokes, a certain repetition. But in this work my elevation stays tied in the boots on my feet. The words “hurry” and “Zen” only fuse for long distance runners. My awareness is drawn into the air return from…
Custodian’s Song 1
By Joe Engel I choose an alarm clock to bully my feet to the floor every morning, out of blanket and bed knowing the furless cat in this February. Hurried to hurry in the dark where the moon hangs orange often to signal any fortune, before it goes under, any ease in the weather at…
Far From a Moment of Clarity
by Joe Engel I turn off the lights in this bedroom to float like a branch. My limbs water-log and I slowly sink. Cars pass outside while drivers glide along the black channels of asphalt, thoughts ushered from point A, to point B, hurried to where they can uncage the poor treatment they received at…
Taken
Here is a little poem I wrote about the curiosity I had over a butterfly which appeared one afternoon in the middle of summer, dead, just outside our screen door. Its wings were spread to show its bright pattern. I don’t know how it died, and it led me to wonder about insects dying in…
An Old Neighbor Passing in a Car
by Joe Engel Who often had bruises blooming on her her arms, rouge over bruises on her face drives as though the road grinds through her. Her hair wisps like tail pipe smoke in the open window. The lines on her face ask the highway to last a whole journey. There was a man who…
Watchers
Here is a story about meeting neighbors for the first time. By Joe Engel The rocks embedded in the top step of the porch to my duplex were getting uncomfortable on my ass, and I wanted to make something happen. It was Friday, and my divorce was finalized a few days before. But there was…
Scattered Things
Before you read the poem, I would like to say hello to all the readers out there. I am honored to have this residency and to have the opportunity to share my work with you. I live in Kenosha, WI and have also lived in Madison, WI and La Crosse, WI. I was the Kenosha…
Thank You and Farewell, Jeanne Denney Reprise, Misc., Cover Tunes, Further Selections from Observations and Thinkings, Vol. wxyz
One mere time, welcome to the last Mark M Racine Writer-in-Residence “zine.” Farewell So, as indicated above, this is my last post as the Racine Writer in Residence — and perhaps some will be relieved! The posts of my immediate predecessor, Jeanne Arnold, inspired me to apply for the WiR position as did previous WiRs…
ArtRoot Writer-In-Residence 