When it Comes to Heather McHugh
When it comes to Heather McHugh,
I do not know which to prefer
the extraordinary
work
or the life
the extraordinary do
or the word.
when it comes
to Heather McHugh,
same sing, blackbird.
---
GRANNY'S SONG
- Heather McHugh
Most creatives would use a $500, 000, no-strings attached grant to do something practical for themselves: maybe pay off a mortgage, or fund a research trip, or otherwise enable their next piece of work. But when the poet Heather McHugh won a MacArthur genius grant in 2009, she used that largess to start an organization called Caregifted, which provides free vacations to caregivers of the severely disabled:
I do not know which to prefer
the extraordinary
work
or the life
the extraordinary do
or the word.
when it comes
to Heather McHugh,
same sing, blackbird.
---
GRANNY'S SONG
- Heather McHugh
If the fact itself were not
at odds with most of my hopes
for human life, I'd want
at odds with most of my hopes
for human life, I'd want
to know why sex was always best
when I stood to lose the most.
Why make its charms so devilishly
when I stood to lose the most.
Why make its charms so devilishly
proximal to risk?
The patterns ought to favor
children's best protection -- not
The patterns ought to favor
children's best protection -- not
one parent hardened and one hurt;
one predator, one weak. But nurturance
appeared to have no part
one predator, one weak. But nurturance
appeared to have no part
in our old fastest appetites -- our grappling hooks
and eye-meats. Well, a mortally afflicted tree
will scatter seed. That's nature's way
and eye-meats. Well, a mortally afflicted tree
will scatter seed. That's nature's way
of furthering its kind. In my own
sixties (here where issue's not the issue --
not unless I go to Delhi for
sixties (here where issue's not the issue --
not unless I go to Delhi for
an embryo implant. and let me tell you
I am not THAT nuts) -- here newly
sixtified, I say, I'd settle for
I am not THAT nuts) -- here newly
sixtified, I say, I'd settle for
a kindness: tender looks not
tenterhooks; a cuddle,
not a cattle-prod. Dear God,
tenterhooks; a cuddle,
not a cattle-prod. Dear God,
you made me pull away from every
club and strut and hoe. Don't now
on my account, sweet chariot,
club and strut and hoe. Don't now
on my account, sweet chariot,
swing so damn low.
------
Most creatives would use a $500, 000, no-strings attached grant to do something practical for themselves: maybe pay off a mortgage, or fund a research trip, or otherwise enable their next piece of work. But when the poet Heather McHugh won a MacArthur genius grant in 2009, she used that largess to start an organization called Caregifted, which provides free vacations to caregivers of the severely disabled:
