Iowa Writes

STEPHEN MERKEL-HESS
Grey Dawn


The grey-again dawn greets me. Bleakly.
It whines, then seeps through the curtains. Wanly.
It leaks in through the jambs. Lazily.
The paleness underwhelms me and
Even a third cup of coffee doesn't
Energize me for another
Iowa January day.

About Iowa Writes

Since 2006, Iowa Writes has featured the work of Iowa-identified writers (whether they have Iowa roots or live here now) and work published by Iowa journals and publishers on The Daily Palette. Iowa Writes features poetry, fiction, or nonfiction twice a week on the Palette.

In November of 2008, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated Iowa City, Iowa, the world's third City of Literature, making the community part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

Iowa City has joined Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia as UNESCO Cities of Literature.

Find out more about submitting by contacting iowa-writes@uiowa.edu


STEPHEN MERKEL-HESS

Stephen Merkel-Hess's poem was selected for the 2011 Poetry in Public project, sponsored by the Iowa City Public Art Program. Now in its ninth year, Poetry in Public displays poems by local writers of all ages in Iowa City buses, downtown kiosks, and select public buildings from April (National Poetry Month) through the fall.

Poetry in Public

This page was first displayed
on October 05, 2011

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