I am still faithfully fulfilling my 2010 New Year’s Resolution to read a poem a day. This morning, before reading the poem I’d preselected for the day, I searched for Victoria Redel’s poem, Bedecked to send the link to an old friend, (actually, the first real Love of My Life!) who has a gay son. This glorious poem ought to be read by everyone—it eloquently speaks truth to the power of bigotry, and honors those who celebrate beauty, where ever it may be found.
I found the poem on a blog that offers a poem a day. (Sadly, I notice the most recent entry is from June!) After sending the link to my friend, I started poking around in the writer’s categories, beginning with Galway Kinnell and Mary Oliver.
In Mary Oliver’s section, I found several of her poems I had never read before, including White-Eyes, from Why I Wake Early. A poem about snow, it came to me serendipitously ( a case of “serendipaciousness, or serendipiosity” if you know and enjoy that film) on this November day.
I’ve heard rumors that Juneau had its first snow yesterday. It’s growing colder here, and the snow level has lowered drastically on the Mountain With No Name across the fjord lately. Now and then we see a car in town with snow on its roof, probably from up the valley, but the air doesn’t even smell like snow yet here on the homestead. But it will come, its way prepared, even softened, by Mary Oliver’s lovely poem.
Speaking of poems:
Remember, remember the Fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot
I know no reason the Fifth of November
Should ever be forgot!
Happy Guy Fawkes Day!