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Quieter Than Water, Lower Than Grass: Growing Up Afraid in Russia

“Why don’t you say anything, people? These thugs are murdering me!”

Rachel Occupies Wall Street

I reviewed the rules for myself, among them: stay in the moment.

Rainy Season

The transformation of their maid from shadow to sexpot thrills Maizie.

Reading from Life Is Meals

James Salter

Reading from Life Is Meals

James Salter

Reading Henry James in the Suburbs

She had boyfriends before she met him. Well, not really boyfriends.

Reading His Poetry

Our crowns are made of dead hair and get swept out with the trash.

Reading His Poetry

All down my street the new fathers beat the kingness out of the kings.

Reading His Poetry

The Poet Laureate reads three poems in his New Hampshire home.

Real People

Their house is what I see when I look up from my notebook.

Renaissance Fair

Burly Viking raiders are standing in the coffee line, sharing pickles.

Resolution

Certain elements of isolation were built into the design, given the odds.

Reunion and Other Poems

I keep waking up on the edge of the black lake. He’s on the other side.

Reverend Thornhill’s Wife

Her previous existence seemed unreal, now, a faint rumor.

Rhymes with Thigh Gap and Other Poems

Rings of Saturn

The rings of Saturn flash their nothing yellows, nothing blues beautiful.

Romeo

When one of the Baxters yelled, “Hey, Turd,” we all turned our heads.

Roommates

Annette. Such a little bit of a person. Emma couldn’t get over it.

Rosemary

A wildness and all the ways I could never be classy enough for pearls.

Rundown

Well, back home has really changed, you won’t get that same bammy.

Sad Little Outlaw

I was always being left behind in the mud, a bandage around my eyes.

Sagrada Familia

“Look in my eyes. Do I look like someone who has heard this story?”

Sail On

The wild-eyed horse was more a figure of nightmare than dream.

Salter on Salter

What counts in the long run is pleasure in conversation with each other.

Savages

The new generation doesn’t play war, which is a shame; they text.

Say Yes and Her Dog

Tobias Wolff

Scars

Sometimes in sunlight the scar shines, skin smooth and tight.

Secret Papers

The lock surrendered, after a short struggle, to the poker.

Self-Portrait as a Shadowbox

A family altar stuffed with dead family hanging now above the TV.

Shallow Waters

He finds the note taped to the lid of the toilet: “There’s someone else.”