My enduring contribution to American verse is a Thanksgiving poem I wrote when I was 9. This, I can say definitively, is the best poem I have ever written.
There you are, plump and juicy
My innocent little turkey Lucy
We’ll feed you up
Nice and plump
So on Thanksgiving we can dine on your tasty rump….

And it goes on. It may not surprise you that I became a vegetarian some years later. This Thanksgiving I will be in charge of the Tofurky. I thought perhaps this image might inspire a sonnet in Marsha Q.


I like cooking because it satisfies my need to be creative without having to write anything. Pie is my superpower; my secret is to find a good recipe and follow it. Here’s the best pumpkin pie recipe there is. We’ll also be having Leek and Wild Mushroom Stuffing, Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Zinfandel (Halve the sugar, seriously), Green Beans with Crispy Shallots, and mashed sweet potatoes.

This is a good time to give thanks for everyone I’ve met at Hamline. It’s such a wonderful feeling to show up for residency and realize, All of these people write children’s books! What a lovely thing to have such a community. Happy Thanksgiving, all.