Happy May Day!
Traditionally, May Day celebrates the Earth’s stirring from her winter slumber. In honor of this bridge between Earth Month and the coming summer I would like to share a couple of poems from Sublime Planet by Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson. These poems are re-printed with their permission. You can find two more poems, plus an interview with the authors at Museiddity.com.
The Man I Love and The Writing Spider
by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Proud Arachne weaving threads of silver
into words became a changeling
at the hand of Zeus. Charlotte knew
the power of words
could save even a pig. The Writing
Spider my imagination’s
mascot.
Forgetting my reverence for its writing
skills I begin to slide the patio door against
this micro werewolf in righteous
self-defense, his imagined face vicious,
hairy his legs, those tools under his belly
no longer idealized
wordspinners.
Just in time, my husband, child of Zen,
tenderly shanghais my attacker. A folded
tissue—a papery cocoon not unlike
the silky space this spider makes
for herself in window
corners—protects
his palm.
He shakes her loose
from her pristine hammock
gently
near the mound where ants
hang out to dine at will
on any fallen enemy
or comrade.
Saving one to kill or be killed.
Once, the savior of this story
rescued a bee, legs
and antennae
fruited with pollen,
only to have it plant its stinger
in his thumb and slowly die
anyway.
Neither bee nor spider
aware of how tender
and treacherous my hero’s
trap.
Smokewater
by Magdalena Ball
Slowly, if you will
tip toeing through the biomass
pores hot and open
body on alert
pick through chemical decomposition
charred landscape of desire.
The wood beneath your fingers
terra preta
veins visible against filtered light;
a promise
you may or may not keep.
Future
a concept too vague and amoral
to hold you.
The dirt below
becomes wilderness in your brain
the boggy soil in your gut
inspires forward motion.
Sublime Planet is the most recent book in The Celebration Series; I like the fact that all proceeds go to the World Wildlife Fund. If you like reading and sharing great poetry you’ll want to check out the rest of these titles. All are available as paperback and e-books.
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are coming up fast—these make fun tuck-in gifts!
She Wore Emerald Then: Reflections on Motherhood (http://budurl.com/MotherChapbook)
Cherished Pulse: Love Poetry for the Rational
(http://budurl.com/CherishedPulse)
Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions
(http://budurl.com/Imagining )
Deeper into the Pond: A Celebration of Femininity
(http://budurl.com/DeeperPond)
And Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational
(http://budurl.com/BloomingRed)
And, of course, Sublime Planet in celebration of the Earth and Universe
(http://amzn.to/SublimePlanet)
Have a little May Day fun and share a short poem with us! In the comment section below, share a poem on the theme of May Day or Spring. Keep it short–under 200 character, like a Tweet.