parenthood – Doug Hoekstra

“Maps” from Unopened

Here’s an interesting, different kind of ink, which provides analysis of a specific poem, “Maps” from my new book, Unopened. Enjoy the read (and thanks Hannah) An Analysis of Maps by Doug Hoekstra

Happy to have a new essay of mine titled “No Fear,” published in the latest edition of Two Cities Review, a fine literary magazine with roots in Brooklyn and Chicago. As the editors say in their header, this one is a “story about the holiday season that will get you thinking about Christmas in aContinue reading “No Fear”

Dressed in Blue

Here’s a baseball poem for the season! Dressed in Blue (Friday August 6, 2004) In the yellow car we rode All the way to China Basin, Passing through the shadow of the Mays “Daddy, see the sailboats, Underneath the bridge,” “What’s that behind your glasses? “Your eyes,” you said, smiling. “They are brown and beautiful”Continue reading “Dressed in Blue”

Coach Pitch

Summertime is here and little league is winding down (the season starts in spring here in Nashville). This year the team is sponsored by his school, USN, and so nearly all Jude’s teammates are his pals and classmates, which is great. Last year they were champions; this year they moved up to majors and areContinue reading “Coach Pitch”

Greene and Parenthood

Reading Graham Greene’s “Our Man in Havana,” this past week, I ran across this lovely passage, which says it better than anyone could. The main character is speaking of his daughter: “….he couldn’t afford the time not to love. It was as if he had come with her a little way on a journey thatContinue reading “Greene and Parenthood”