This selection, chosen by Guest Editor Maggie Rue Hess, is from Hummingbird: Messages from My Ancestors by Diana Raab (Modern History Press 2024).
Hummingbird
I have fallen in love
with a hummingbird—
the way she arrives each day
at the red flowers outside my studio
and moves among the petals
as if the next has more to offer.
The nectar, oh, it oozes so gently
while other birds nuzzle their beaks
in curiosity.
She might think I’m foolish
to stare at her
in this wonder and amazement,
as she performs so naturally
and I pretend to be writing a new poem
Beseeching her for inspiration.
But, before I can grab her, she’s gone
On to the next chore, whatever it might be,
maybe reaching for the heavens or
seeking her ancestral friends who hold answers
from the beyond—which, in the end, is all we want.
Diana Raab (she/her), MFA, PhD, is a memoirist, poet, workshop leader, thought-leader and award-winning author of fourteen books. Her work has been widely published and anthologized. She frequently speaks and writes on writing for healing and transformation.
Her latest book is Hummingbird: Messages from My Ancestors, a memoir with reflection and writing prompts (Modern History Press, 2024).
Raab writes for Psychology Today, The Wisdom Daily, The Good Men Project, Thrive Global, and is a guest writer for many others. Visit her at: https://www.dianaraab.com.
Raab lives in Southern California.
Maggie Rue Hess (she/her) is a PhD student living in Knoxville, Tennessee, with her partner and their crusty white dog. She serves as Poetry Co-Editor for Grist: A Journal of the Literary Arts. Her work has appeared in Rattle, Connecticut River Review, SWWIM, and other publications; her debut chapbook, The Bones That Map Us, was published by Belle Point Press in 2024. Maggie likes to share baked goods with friends and can be found on Instagram as @maggierue_.
- The Wardrobe’s Best Dressed: Roadmap: A Choreopoem by Monica Prince - April 3, 2026
- Meet Our New Intern: Tara Rahman - April 2, 2026
- We Call Upon the Author to Explain—Noel Quiñones - April 2, 2026