Selected Poetry by Jennifer Gurney

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Haven of Night

so dark

it could still be

the haven of night

and yet

it is

nearly dawn

cozy here

in my living room

a candle my flame

I write

of all that is on

my heart

Untouched

my to do list

sits on the counter

untouched

grief

has stolen

my energy

yesterday

I washed dishes

and needed a nap

today

laundry is about all

I can manage

I know my energy

will return

with time

right now it’s needed

to do the work

of knitting my heart back together

Jennifer Gurney lives in Colorado where she teaches, paints, writes and hikes. Her poetry is widely published, two of her poems have won international contests and one was turned into a choral piece. One of her poems was recently long listed for the Elizabeth Royal Patton Poetry Prize. Jennifer has 10 books of poetry, My Eyes Adjusting (2024), Liquid Sky (2025), Love’s Echolocation (2025), Light Matters More (2025), Unheard Verses (2025), Life Extends Outward (2025), The Curiosity of Roadside Attractions (2025), Your Voice Still In My Ear (2025), The Possibility of Joy (2026) and Indelible Ink (forthcoming). Her poetry manuscript, We Are Never Ready: A Collection of Grief Poems, made Honorable Mention for the 2025 Concrete Wolf Louis Award. Another manuscript, Curvature of Life, was selected as a semi-finalist in the Tenth Gate Prize 2025 from The Word Works. Also, in just over three years, 2,500 of Jennifer’s poems have been published. Her poetry crosses a wide range of form, subject and style with a consistent voice that is honest and authentic, conveying all that is on her heart.