Two Cranes on a Snowy Pine (after Hokusai)
Who knows where bird
begins and tree
ends,
which branch shifts
snow, which bears
eternity. This, too, will share
joy,
elusive green
and breath,
with no thought
of flight
and night’s
fall.
This first appeared in Panoply in summer, 2016, and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Many thanks to editors Ryn Holmes, Jeff Santosuosso and Andrea Walker for this honor, my first such nomination.
It also appears in my forthcoming chapbook, From Every Moment a Second.
See the woodblock print that sparked this poem: Hokusai
Again, your words break through like sunlight. I have shared this on my FB page. (I do not have many followers, however!) Could you be so kind as to remind me how I may purchase your chap book?
LikeLiked by 3 people
Oh, I found the info I was looking for!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for sharing this, Carrie!
LikeLike
what a gorgeous piece! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Sarah.
LikeLike
I love how “no thought / of flight” and “dream of flight” (from “Mayflies”) work alongside one another in elucidating the continuum FEMAS encompasses of that which constitutes valid (human) identity and experience. Essentially, you exclude no possibility by way of illustrating the point that no reason to justify such exclusion exists. This Openness (with a capital O!) is definitely in the top five of the tens of thousands 😉 of things I find most compelling about your poetry, in general, and about this book, in particular.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now I’m blushing. But thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rather lovely, a perfect morning poem to speak out loud.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Diana.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure! And thanks for liking some of my work – it’s an honor to be read by a poet of your caliber.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’re all searching for readers, Diana, and your poetry has much to offer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beaming with gratitude 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLike
Ok you are welcome. Help me check my blog too and put your comments there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Both full and spare. (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hokusai!
LikeLiked by 1 person