Posts Tagged ‘Poetry’

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Poetry: When The Rain Stopped

Small island in Lower Saranac Lake

By Annette Pisano-Higley

When The Rain Stopped
Today the rain stopped, for a moment,
Yet, it did stop.
It left the air lighter, cleaner, brighter.
For a moment, I remembered
When the air was always that way.

Monday, April 3, 2023

Spring slowly

Adult male American Robin feeding nestlings

Deer are the first sign that

Spring has come … tracks up the

snow-laden driveway and in the

small meadow lakeside, wary polite

encounters when we drive up and

down our narrow dirt roads — the now

wiser deer engaging us, gauging our

movements and moments to dash from

one side to the other … full-rumped from

their winter encampments where they

avoid the few predators that dare the

deep woods, eat their fill of winter

mast and await the birthing of their

fawns in May and June.

» Continue Reading.


Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Bears

bear cubs

Diminution: I – BEARS, rev.

Author’s note: Spring is almost upon us and the bears will be coming out and eventually down to our villages and towns; will eventually have unhappy altercations with homeowners as food becomes scarce and they get hungrier. They will also get shot and killed — 16 last year alone by the DEC.

This poem is both a memorial to what occurred and an admonition about what is sure to occur again. The question it leaves unanswered — are we willing to do anything to prevent or mitigate that occurrence? 

» Continue Reading.


Saturday, March 25, 2023

Poetry in the ADKs: ACW’s new poetry machine, Poem Village 2023

A woman takes a break from her day to read a Poem Village submission in Saranac Lake

Saranac Lake, NY – Poetry is alive and well in the Adirondack region, inspiring folks to embrace their creative sides while visiting various locations in the Adirondacks. Two such examples of artistic outlets include a recently released Poetry Machine created by those at the Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW) based in Saranac Lake. Another is ACW’s upcoming Poem Village 2023, a program in which submitted poems will be published and hung in storefront windows in Saranac Lake in mid-April, remaining up until mid-May. Poetry submissions are due by April 1. 

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, March 21, 2023

March fever

When trees in morning March winds sway

it’s different from November’s gray,

those heavy pessimistic skies

which dormancy or death belie.

In March, with Spring’s rebirth in sight,

the treetops stretch toward Life, they fight

off stiffness, Winter’s coat they shed.

From deep below their sap is led

to flow, to course.  How they rejoice –

with dancing limbs their find their voice.

They won’t sleep now – they’re wide awake.

Their thirst for growth with light they’ll slake.

And I, who sit beneath and watch,

as one who might a fever catch,

am caught myself and share their thrill –

Life finds its way, and always will.

 

At top: Butterfly on dandelions. Wikipedia photo.


Sunday, February 19, 2023

Poem: Birdsong for our age

birds on a feeder in winter

The birds are singing.  Weeks too soon.

For them, is climate change a boon?

Won’t they need bugs or seeds to eat?

The ecosystems once were neat

and dovetailed nicely, well-designed.

But now look, Nature is inclined 

toward unpredictability.

» Continue Reading.


Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Poetry: Enough

Hibernating bear

Enough

Even here,

Pulling comforters close,

We are like sheltering bears,

Warming against each other,

In the comfort of each other,

Against the threat of elements

So beyond our control.

‘Together’ was ever the safe word.

Safe in a spreading wealth,

Of caves, trees, concrete, steel,

Of hands touching.

Buzzing hives of us,

Together is all we have.

Donning socks and scarves,

Against whatever may come,

We hope, we hope, we pray,

That together,

We’ll be strong enough.

 

Photo at top: Hibernating bears. Photo provided by Annette Pisano-Higley.


Friday, January 20, 2023

Primal Pleasure 

fire starting provided by CCEPrimal Pleasure

It wasn’t really on the list,

but why not take, I thought, an hour or so

to shift some things in the garage.

It was a good excuse to start an outdoor fire, 

to warm my hands between each shifting shift.

 Except, I spent more time beside the fire pit

than working hard on the garage.

» Continue Reading.


Monday, January 16, 2023

Poem: What I Learned From Butterflies

butterfly
What I Learned From Butterflies
Along my way, the butterflies whispered to me

About the nature of their lives. They said,
Everything changes in its own time,
As predestined, pre-ordained,
This is God’s supreme mystery.

Friday, January 6, 2023

Poetry: Let’s Talk Backpacking

winter hiking

Challenge that toward discomfort slips,

which morphs then into dull hardship.

Angry shoulders, feet forlorn.

Sweaty toes, shirts rank and torn.

In the darkness, making camp.

Wood that doesn’t burn for damp.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Poetry: For The New Year

For The New Year

To those who gather family near,
Or are alone from year to year,
To those who give and who receive,
To those who may or not believe,
I send these words across the miles,
And right next door, where waits a child,
In hopes of better days ahead,
For peace, with no more tears to shed,
For love of earth and love of man,
For reaching out to all we can,
To stop wars here and in far lands,
To mute the guns and soothe the cries
Of innocents, make safe their lives.
Hope can rise when fear is gone,
Life is strong, free to go on.
When greed abounds, no good can grow,
Nor mercy thrive, nor justice flow.
New Year bells must righteous ring,
O’er everyone and everything,
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
And Happy New Year, is my wish for you


Saturday, December 24, 2022

Poetry: Noel

                      A story worth telling…
                                                        In The

                                                      Middle Of

                                                 A Blackest Night,

                                             One Soul Did Light Up

                                          The Sky Within Plain Sight,

                                     Of Humble Shepherds Upon A Hill,

                                To Whom The Angelic Sounds Did Thrill,

                            They Lifted Their Heads, Midst Dozing Sheep,

                           To A Heraldic Chorus That Moved Them So Deep.

                       Then Gathering Staff And Flock, They Journeyed Afar

                     To Bethlehem, To The Holy Babe Sleeping Under The Star.

                   Falling Down Upon Their Knees, They Praised Him Full Well,

                                                       Infant King,

                                                       Savior Born,

                                                  That Blessed Noel.


Thursday, November 24, 2022

Poetry: Thanks

Thanks
Let us choose to be lifted on the wings of gratitude,
Lifted up, through the sadness, grief,
Through the miasma of all that happened,
And still happens,
Because every day, is a day gifted.
Every offered smile, heart, hand, is a blessing.
As we gather together, or sit alone,
We pause for a moment to breathe,
Immersing ourselves in a moment, that doesn’t hurt,
To see the green, the gold, the true radiance of it.
To partake in the bounty, or the ‘just enough’ of it.
Only then can we feel the true connections, between us.
Only then can we discover, that we can still fly.
That we can still fly.
The breeze from the bird’s wings whispers to us gently,
That for this, and for it all,
We should give praise,
We should give thanks.

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Poetry: Storm-Wolf

poetry logoLoping, lunging lupine paws,

Shake the ground outside my door.

I hear the growl of foul wind, rumbling,

Howling in apocalyptic tones.

» Continue Reading.


Thursday, November 10, 2022

Dream Home Haikus

anca/acw housing series logo

Dream Home Haikus

By Audrey Schwartzberg

As a little girl
I always wanted a house
With a turret room

» Continue Reading.



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