About

Anne Marie here, your  pocket poet, happy to provide poems and perhaps other daily, or not so daily, musings.

Most posts present at least one poem, and if that’s what you’re after, scroll on through the blather until you get there. You’ll also find some stories, or just Anne Maramblings. The new menu should help you navigate.

Where is this woman from? I hail from Detroit originally, grew up in a big Irish Catholic family, seventh of nine, which was my moniker long before any television characters borrowed the like.  But I’ve spent most of my life out west. ‘Go west young woman,’ someone said once, or I imagined it, and off I went.

Currently I live in Cottonwood, a pretty little place in the middle of the Verde Valley, a huge gorgeous place in the heart of Arizona. Here is my house, as perceived by my daughters.

Tagline? Parenting? What is this blog about? 

I am fascinated by this stage of parenting, if you can even call it that. This stage where my children are not. Children that is. They are, in fact, amazing women out in the world being smart and brave and creative. And they have so much to teach me, you, the world.

So if you just appreciate solid story, hearty poems, a positive and hopeful world view, albeit sarcastic, bitter, sappy and insightful, in the midst of a bit of metaphor and rhyme, with frequent references to my girls, well, come on in, have a seat, have a read.

OR if you’re in the throes of diapers, puke, snotty noses, or pot in your teen’s sock drawer, these poems and posts will soothe and inspire you. Make you laugh. Let you know there is a light at the end of that tunnel.

Pocket? Yes. Everyone should have a poem, at least one, in their pocket. So pick one. Bookmark it. Print it and fold it into your wallet. Share it. Virtually, or over dinner. There’s plenty to choose from. Here are some favorites.
Surviving at 103 Degrees, that is, Farenheit
Divorce in Two Poems, or Kisses, as it Were
Glass in our Tortillas
Sweeping, Summer Musing

Am I A Photographer? Oh, no. But every post does include a visual of some kind. Some of the images are mine, but most are those I have found on Unsplash.com or Pixabay.com or some other online source, which I try to remember to credit. And if I don’t? Call me on it. It’s very bad form.

Who’s the redhead with her hands in her pockets, or pen in her hand? Oh, my logo? That’s my muse, Shannon O’Malley.  We’ve been following each other around for years, since I received my first pocket diary when I was in second grade. I described her to my daughter, Riana Johnson, and she was kind enough to take her out of my imagination, and put her into her own.

Thanks for reading my poetry, prose, and thoughts on parenting & other alliterative things. Please like, comment, and, of course, share broadly and often.

Anne Marie Mackler