Tornadoes were the weather danger where I grew up. Illinois’ flat country is like that perfectly made bed that your dog just has to mess up—irresistible to tornadoes. When the sky turned […]
Some Thoughts on the Weather
Katie Riegel
Poet, writer, editor, teacher, blogger, mentor, meditator.
Announcing the publication of There’s No Wrong Way: 44 Meditations
The Gloria Sirens are happy to announce the first book from TGS Publications: There’s No Wrong Way: 44 Meditations, by yours truly, Katie (Katherine) Riegel. Like most of my posts, the book is […]
Memphis, TN: Ninety-three Percent
My 2017 eclipse day had two breaks in the clouds, during which my husband and I watched the sun with a bite taken out of it through our eclipse glasses. The best […]
On the Need for Solitude
I sometimes think I never wanted kids because, somewhere in the pre-teen core of me, I knew I was a person whose need for solitude was great. Feeling guilty about wanting to […]
A Quiet Passion
I saw A Quiet Passion, the 2017 movie about Emily Dickinson (directed by Terence Davies, starring Cynthia Nixon) this month. I’m not a movie critic, but I am a poet and a […]
An informal review of Matt Haig’s book _Reasons to Stay Alive_
So I finally got around to reading Matt Haig’s Reasons to Stay Alive. I follow him on Twitter, and a friend sent me a couple of quotes from him at important moments. […]
Why I Can’t Just Turn Off the News
“Tell everyone on this train I love them.” —Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, 23 I want to turn off the news. As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, I need to turn […]
Moving: A Photo Essay
Snow White
Hi friends– I’m excited to share my poem, “Snow White,” from the current issue of Orion Magazine. It’s an absolutely stunning issue, and those of you who care about nature and the […]
The Problem of Suffering
I’ve been concerned about suffering since I was eight, and I went to a friend’s Baptist church with her. They had fun games about remembering things from the Bible, and—always the showoff […]
The Gloria Sirens 