Linda Laino

Linda Laino is an artist, writer and teacher who has been making art in one form or another for over 40 years. Holding an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, she enjoys playing with words as much as form and color. Since 2012, she has resided in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where the surreal atmosphere and sensuous colors have wormed their way into her paintings.The last few years have found her making art at residencies around the world, most recently in Spain and France, and upcoming in Greece. Her poetry and essays have been published in anthologies and small presses such as, The New Engagement, Sheila-Na-Gig online and Sonder Midwest and last year her poem, “Poem at Sixty,” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her artwork can be seen at www.lindalaino.com

The Ledge of Joy

The wind veers just a moment

down the path pocketing a feather in its folds.

A momentary pasture high on the blue

ledge of joy beams like lasered light from holy ether.

A beaked red thread, plucked

from lint filled pockets deep

in a flower crush of creases,

some underplace in the hidden river.

Untethered, feather and thread settle

open, available as riverlight.

Like diaspora they will not be held or kept

as tokens in a box or dreamt of in color at night.