Elisabeth Crago
Absence
Today in the dreary noon, cardinals hide,
arctic swans flee south.
Gunshots pierce the air behind the woodpile.
The wary deer know it's hunting season.
Quail peek out from under the azalea, peck
sunflower seed squirrels scattered on the snow.
I tend a fire in the woodstove. The air blankets
my body but does not warm me.
I try to quench your absence with scent—
chocolate, ginger, almond—
pray the cookies will not taste of tears.
Bio
Elisabeth Crago holds an MFA from Carlow University with a dual focus on poetry and creative non-fiction. A graduate of Lehman College, CUNY and the University of Michigan, she also has degrees in English and Nursing. In her primary career, Elisabeth administered a large breast health services program in eastern Pennsylvania. She then spent 12 years engaged in farming and aquaculture in New Zealand, where she also served on the board of a retreat center with an emphasis on women's spirituality. Returning to the United States in 2014, she settled in Pittsburgh and currently divides her time between the city and Chautauqua, NY. Elisabeth volunteers at City of Asylum, the Center for Women, and is also active in the Madwomen in the Attic, Carlow University's community writing program for women. Her work has been published in Voices in the Attic, Eye on the Telescope, and Dreamers' Writing.