Summertime is traditionally a time devoted to vacations, and travel. Sometimes to distant lands, sometimes down the street for a barbecue.

But what if you're having a "staycation" this year. How will you travel? Through the magic offered every Poetry Friday, of course.

And so we embark upon a new poetic vacation to take our minds to places new and strange, led by our intrepid guide M. Travis Lane and her poem "Departures" (from Reckonings).

To celebrate the summer of 2018, we are pleased to present an ongoing series of reading recommendations/reminiscences by Goose Lane authors past and present.

Today: Ian Weir (The Death and Life of Strother Purcell, in stores September 4, 2018!)

Summertime! Outdoor dining! Juicy burgers! Vegan hot dogs! Ketchup and mustard everywhere!

Let's face it, we're in the middle of another heat wave, so let us embrace it with some eating of foods in the outdoors.

So, this Poetry Friday, a'cooking we will go with Peter Richardson's "Cloud Puffs above a Ridge-top Barbecue Grill" (from Bit Parts for Fools).

And yes, we've got beer for everyone this time. 

Well, it's summer, and the heat has not abated hereabouts. In fact, our air conditioning unit has asked for an air conditioning unit.

On days, like this, all you want to do is curl up in the dark and the cool, maybe at a movie theatre, maybe in your home equivalent, and wait the heat out.

So this Poetry Friday, let's go to the flicks, with Kay Burkman's "You & Your Late Movies" (from Champ).

You bring some beer. We've got the popcorn. 

To celebrate the summer of 2018, we are pleased to present an ongoing series of reading recommendations/reminiscences by Goose Lane authors past and present.

Today: Karen Smythe (This Side of Sad)