Nest
Jennifer Hambrick
outside the window
of our first bedroom
pine branches hold
a pair of mourning
doves mating for what
they think is life
wisdom sorrowing
their song a winter
omen made real
with branches break
ing from the ice
of a sudden storm
Six-time Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee Jennifer Hambrick is the author of the poetry collections In the High Weeds (NFSPS Press), winner of the Stevens Prize; Joyride (Red Moon Press), winner of the 2022 Marianne Bluger Book Award; and Unscathed (NightBallet Press). Hambrick’s poems appear in The Columbia Review, The American Journal of Poetry, Santa Clara Review, Maryland Literary Review, San Pedro River Review, POEM, Modern Haiku, Frogpond, NOON: the journal of the short poem, The Heron’s Nest, Mayfly, Contemporary Haibun Online, and in numerous invited anthologies. Hambrick was featured by former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser in American Life in Poetry; served as Poet Laureate of the 75th anniversary series of the world-class Chamber Music Columbus concert series, and has received numerous awards and prizes, including the Sheila-Na-Gig Press Poetry Prize, First Prize in the Haiku Society of America's Haibun Award Competition, First Prize in the Martin Lucas Haiku Award Competition (U.K.), and many others. A classical musician, public radio broadcaster, multimedia producer, and cultural journalist, Jennifer Hambrick lives in Columbus, Ohio. jenniferhambrick.com.