Over Our Shoulders, the Wind

MY TREE
—Rolf Jacobsen

It's the cedar - the mother of lingonberry - that is my tree.
It doesn't need summer - rain and snow are enough.

Its top is high and ragged, no one hears its sound.
It has a tough, long root that it sinks into gravel.

Over its shoulder is wind, over its hair, clouds.
Storms don't bring it down. It may kneel. But it stays there.

Maybe it has some destination in mind - the white bed of
crowfoot flowers
At the end of the world where glaciers rule.

Among all the trees on earth it is nearest to the great snows,
To the blind sun of the glacier. I want to be a tree like that.

_____________________

Yesterday's post of Rolf Jacobsen led to Stephani Schaefer of Los Molinos sending me another Jacobsen poem, and thanks to her. We share an interest in Robert Bly's anthologies of poems with a more clearly spiritual bent (or is it "bend"?); the Jacobsen poems from yesterday appeared in Bly's News of the Universe (1980, Sierra Club Books, San Francisco). Steph says Jacobsen is Norwegian.

As a conclusion to our recent spate of love poems, send yours to Benecia!

Dec. 22 deadline for love poems:

The Benicia Historical Museum is sponsoring a poetry contest with the its fifth annual Valentine’s Day celebration of the early California romance of Conception Arguello and Nikolai Rezanov. The romantic story has been told by novelist Gertrude Atherton in her novel, Rezanov, and by playwright Eve Iversen in her Voyage of the Juno. See details on the internet at http://www.nps.gov/prsf/history/bios/concep.htm or http://www.abcbookworld.com/?state=view_author&author_id=6369.

The Museum is looking for original love poems. The poems need not be about Conception and Nikolai, but can be about love and lovers in general. A charge of $5/poem is assessed to pay the judge for time and critique of your work. A check or money order, made out to BENICIA HISTORICAL MUSEUM, must accompany submission. All poems must be received by 22 December 2006 at The Benicia Historical Museum, Attn: Poetry Contest, 2060 Camel Road, Benicia, CA 94510. The poetry judge has agreed to comment on poems, which will be judged by Ida Fasel, Emerita Professor of English at the University of Colorado at Denver. Her poetry has won numerous prizes. She is a Milton specialist, a balletomane, and an angel collector. Note— Dr. Fasel will not know the identity of poets.

Provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with your submission. Submit up to three original poems. Revisions and additions will not be accepted once poems have been received. Original unpublished poems are sought; however, poems which poets have self-published in chapbooks are acceptable. Cite publication title in which they appear. Send two cover sheets; on cover sheet ‘A’ include poet’s name, address, phone number, and list of titles of the poem(s) attached. Cover sheet ‘B’ should list ONLY the titles of the poems attached. Submit two copies of each poem. Poet’s name or other identification may not appear on poems. Each poem should be typed on 8.5x11” paper, double or single spaced, 12 pt. type, no more than one page in length. The SASE and cover sheet A are held at the Benicia Historical Museum awaiting the judge’s comments. After the contest, your poems plus the judge’s comments will be returned to you, or you may pick up your poems at the Benicia Historical Museum after the contest. The winner will receive publicity, acclaim, a plaque and have his/her name inscribed on a trophy to be on permanent display at the Benicia Historical Museum.

________________________

THE JOURNEY
—Margaret Ellis Hill, Wilton

Lord, the wind blows cold;
a wrong time of year for travel.

Not to worry; we must go.
Journeys can be demanding.

Riding on this animal must be
uncomfortable and wearisome.

The donkey sways and hooves tap
rhythms for me to hum lullabies.

We need to stop please. Somewhere,
even a stall in a barn would work.

Only straw for a bed in a stable;
what a place for you to birth a child!

Look at the sky; how bright the starlight;
do you hear music surrounding us?

The light shines on our newborn son;
the music echoes our voices of joy.

_______________________

Thanks, Peggy! Woman's work is never done...

—Medusa

Medusa encourages poets of all ilk and ages to send their poetry, photos and art, and announcements of Northern California poetry events to kathykieth@hotmail.com for posting on this daily Snake blog. Rights remain with the poets. Previously-published poems are okay for Medusa’s Kitchen, as long as you own the rights. (Please cite publication.)