For Maxine Kumin, 'Writing is my salvation'
Bouncing back after an accident, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet has renewed passion for 'poems that matter.'
from the April 15, 2008 edition
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Kumin realizes that some readers would prefer she stick to nature poetry, rather than venturing into politics or war again. "My nature poems come from a gentler place," she concedes, "but nature isn't always so clever. A chipmunk only finds 1 out of 4 nuts it stores. That's not a very good design."
After an hour, Kumin is anxious to end the interview and return to her writing. Once planting season starts, in April, she won't have much time for anything but her garden. "I still have a month's worth of onions from last year's harvest. I never have to buy a vegetable," she says.
At the door, she hands her visitor an apple to eat on the ride home, and she looks again at the sky. "The sun keeps trying to come out but can't quite make it."
That's not true of the poet, who remains in a season of activity regardless of what the weather is doing.
• Elizabeth Lund regularly reviews poetry for the Monitor.
Excerpt from Virgil by Maxine Kumin
He came, a dog
auspiciously named
Virgil,
homeless, of unknown
breed but clearly hound
barking at scents, aroused
by hot ones to bugle....
He knew not sit or stay, has
still to take in that chasing sheep and
horses is forbidden....
He longs for love with all his
poet's soul....
We save our choicest food
scraps for his bowl.
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