Iris Lee

November

ice on a rough stone,
a brown leaf torn from its branch—
such an unkind month
delighting in teasing us
with ever-lengthening night.

Almost the end of another November, and I’m more reclusive than ever. Thanksgiving alone, and these cold days are keeping me inside too much. Do I sound maudlin? Should I work on creating more contrast between emotion and tone in my words, as a workshop leader would surely advise? There were snow flurries yesterday but I didn’t see them. I was reading, and when I looked up it had grown dark.

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About the Author

Iris Lee’s book of poems, Urban Bird Life, was published by NY Quarterly Books in 2010. She has also published work in Haibun Today, Epiphany, and The New York Times, among other venues. A Brooklyn native, Iris ran a writing workshop for theater professionals at The Actors Fund in New York City for many years.

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