Curves

A collection of topical poems written during 2020 by Oregon poet Linda Varsell Smith.

Linda is a retired creative writing teacher of workshops and at the local community college. Her literary publications class produced the award-winning The Eloquent Umbrella to showcase writing and art of the community. She was an editor at Calyx Books for over 30 years and served as president of the Oregon Poetry Association. She received the 2020 Pat Banta Award for promoting poets and poetry. She is currently president of PEN Women in Portland. She is a member of several poetry and writing groups- either postponed by the pandemic or on Zoom. She belongs to Writing the Wrongs to Rights huddle formed from the Women's March. She is an avid cooperative and competitive Scrabble player-on hold like the plays, most poetry readings, arts and crafts fairs and art shows she enjoys. She studies astrophysics and diverse spirituality. She lives among over 3000 angels, Swedish Folk art, elves and fairies, seasonal miniatures in her mini-museum with her husband Court. She likes to escape quarantine in the backyard to gather chi and to go on weekend rides with Court. They do not get out of the car. She has lived in Corvallis, Oregon for over 50 years.