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Linda Pastan

Linda Pastan’s twelfth book of poems, Queen of a Rainy Country, was published by Norton in 2006. She was Poet Laureate of Maryland from 1991 to 1995 and has been a finalist twice for the National Book Award. She won the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize in 2003.

Author

Fingerprints

Spring 2015 | Poetry

I’m asked questions about travel—
What countries I’ve visited, how long I stayed.

They press my fingers to a pad then frown
and shake their heads and press again.

At the Winery

Spring 2015 | Poetry

1.The grapes are as round,as smooth as beadsa child might string togetherand wear like pearlsaround her neck. 2.Asleep for yearsin the barrel: a dark purple seawith no tide, only the slowinvisible change from proseto poetry. 3.Syrah…Pinot Noir… [...]

Flora

Fall 2013 | Poetry

In the great Archaeological Museum of Naples, 
I visited Flora—force 
behind everything that flowers—a fresco 

Vacation

Autumn 1987 | Poetry

On the quietest days,
when the sea just hovers in the background
and the light is no particular color
I forget summer,

Ruins

Winter 1995 | Poetry

We picnic by these bleached ruins
a few miles from the village
where we bought this rough
bread and cheese, this bottle

The Last Uncle

Spring 2001 | Poetry

The last uncle is pushing off
in his funeral skiff (the usual
black limo) having locked
the doors behind him
on a whole generation.