Rachel McKibbens’ Comments

Three of these poems, “The Lovers, in Bed,” “Pushing Daisies,” and “May Day“ were all written during this past April’s poem per day challenge. “The Lovers, in Bed” is the first poem in a series I am writing (which includes “The Lovers, in a Funeral Parlor” and “The Lovers, in the Kitchen” so far). My favorite television series deals with two things I have been obsessed with since I was a child—the afterlife and pie. “Pushing Daisies,” is, of course, my homage to that fabulous show.

“May Day” was inspired by a startlingly beautiful photograph of Evelyn McHale by Robert Wiles. All I can really say is image search it if you haven’t seen it. It will not leave you once you do.

“CitySights” and “The Widower” were both written during poetry workshops I taught at Bellevue Hospital’s on-site high school. The class pulled twenty random words from a jar, each word then had to be included in each line of the poem. They are what I call my “accidental poems,” although “CitySights” is an entirely true account of a conversation I had over an actual chicken Caesar salad.

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