O’er parched and sandy earth where sun has killed All but the most resilient weeds, where spear- Like winds hurl dust and wolves loom nigh and jeer, A flock trails near its shepherd wise and skilled And follows him despite hope unfulfilled. Through mountain passes narrow, rocky, sheer, Where enemies from hidden lairs peer, He … Continue reading Onward Pressed
You wake up early and lug your luggage downstairs to wait for your Uber driver. Mild anxiety hangs in the air like the smell of last night's burnt coffee. Will he arrive? Almost to the minute of his scheduled arrival at 6:20, he pulls up in his new white CRV and helps you load your … Continue reading The God of Gate H1
On the one hand, I write stories because a force as strong and as invisible as the wind compels me to. That's not the only reason though. For me, stories are not solid walls we stare at for the sake of admiring the wallpaper. They're windows through which we might glimpse the beauty on the … Continue reading Why I Write
"Sing, sparrows, sing, for God's good varied grace!" We are so well provided for.
I was going to get to drive Marvin again, and I was more than a little excited. Yes, Laura and I name our cars. Marvin is the gray Toyota Matrix we owned when we lived in Minneapolis that we bequeathed to Laura's mom after getting that wild hair over four years ago to move to … Continue reading On Wanting to Cry at the Eye Doctor’s
It was our final leg, and we were finally sitting on the plane. Chicago to Minneapolis. OK. We can do this. The last time we had gotten decent sleep—"decent" being defined as eight hours in a horizontal position with our heads on a pillow—was Monday night. In the time zone of our departure, it was Thursday morning.
Happy New Year's Eve from us to you! On this day of both remembering the past year and looking forward to the one to come, here are the seven most popular posts to The Untamed Places in 2018. Enjoy. Number 7 And Then They Killed Lucy April 25, 2018 She was poisoned. That was as clear as … Continue reading 7 Most Popular Posts of 2018
Bombs burst, exploding, guns unloading,Whole cities, families crack, implodingWhile life and hope corrode. We gropeIn darkness, begging for a ropeWe might cling to. Send us a wingTo lift us, something, anything,Upon which we might sail. We’re frail,And thick and heavy is the veilThat overlies our cries. Our eyesWeep bitterly and agonizeOver the one who’d turn … Continue reading Wait
His eyes burned as he stared at his mother, who met his gaze with a fierceness he rarely saw, but when he did, he knew a storm was about to break if he so much as blinked the wrong way. It hadn't been his fault. His brother had pushed him. The rest had been mere … Continue reading The Ancient Word
Last Christmas angels parted golden skies With festal shouts of hope, goodwill, and peace. Night shepherds’ little lambs with whitest fleece Pressed in around my son to soothe his cries. Then men from ancient lands who analyze The stars appeared to us to our increase, For gold and fragrances that would release Us from our … Continue reading Last Christmas