My favorite poems are the ones that make the most ordinary things of life seem like the most special, noteworthy, extravagant. There’s something that really shocks me, every time, about a poem that takes the simple things—eating an orange, the interior of an apartment, a conversation over dinner, a walk along the river—and makes them…

It’s the time of year when I find myself thinking about food more, and not just food itself—but also where it comes from and how it gets to my table. A big part of the joy of summer for me is the seasonality of food. It feels like food comes into focus this time of…

Earlier in my residency, I wrote a post titled “Poetry of a Day.” The prompt was to notice the small things throughout a day that make our lives poetic, to notice the things that shine as we move through a day and string them together into a poem. I will say, it’s been feeling especially…

Most of my best days in Racine live in memories with friends at a young age. I remember weekends of soccer games and eating oranges at halftime and camping out in a pal’s backyard annually. I remember endless days of basketball in the neighbor’s driveway and biking around the neighborhood, a true feeling of freedom….

Spring has taken its sweet time arriving here in Racine. But after weeks of noncommittal rainy, windy weather, it seems we have arrived at a steady springtime rhythm. It looks like robins in the nest over our patio and daffodils already past their bloom. It’s all-day sun and grilling out on week nights. It’s reaching…

“Home” is a word full of meaning, meaning that changes from person to person. When I hear the word home, I think of Racine, where I now live and grew up. But beyond that, I see my current house, as well as the houses I lived in as a child. I think of the places…

Racine is full of families that carry names that carry reputations and stories, generations and legacies. If you have one of these generations-deep Racine names, you probably find it hard to move through the community without being asked if you’re related to so-and-so or told a story about a relative, whether you know them or…

On a day like Easter, I’m surrounded by family. Holidays are a priority for my family. We all gather, every year, every holiday. There’s a sweetness to it: Seeing everyone in the same spaces year after year, eating the same shared dishes year after year. It’s a time to catch up, and it’s where our…

When I’m traveling somewhere new, or simply visiting somewhere else, I like to bring along literature reflective of the place. It was recommended to me once by a professor as a way to broaden my understanding of a place, as well as its community and history, in a way I may not otherwise access. While…

It’s hard for me to imagine Racine without imagining my younger self, and I think that’s true for a lot of people who call Racine home. Part of the draw of the place is what the place holds: our own memories, family legacies, former relationships, the shops and restaurants that we once visited. It’s a…