by
Andrew Fusek Peters
Snow has come and swallowed sound,
Layering the frozen ground
Steps that clanged now muffled in
The opposite of daylight’s din
Blackbird sings out loud despite
The gradual dawning of the night.
Winter will not find redress
Against this jaunty stubbornness.
Through fading fog, the last few geese,
Aim for where the land must cease
Safety is their instinct’s ache
For low, bright water of the lake.
Before the dark shall shut its door
Hear the perching semaphore
Blackbird sings and flings his song
And kin through throat, his echoes throng.
Dusk now wears a paper crown
Golden lit, the gilded town.
Shadow shall the trees submerge.
Sett and den and perch, the urge
To fold in wing, to dream and brood,
To curl around the season’s mood
Hedge for home, he’s tucked in tight
Blackbird, breathing, silent, night.
 |
| ©Catherine Hyde |
©Andrew Fusek Peters 2013, from Conjuring The Dusk, illustrated by Catherine Hyde, publishing 2014
I might be wrong, but I believe Andrew Fusek Peters is the first poet here at GottaBook who plays the didgeridoo. I could be wrong - and other poets feel free to correct me - so I'll make it more specific and say he's the first British poet here to play the didgeridoo and also write books with his wife. That should cover it.
He's also, as you can see from the above example, a wonderful weaver of words. Blackbird is such a soothing, lush poem and combined with the art that goes with it, from Catherine Hyde, it's got me wishing that the book it's from, Conjuring the Dusk, were out NOW. But, no. We have to wait. That's not right.
Yesterday, Kelly Ramsdell Fineman wondered Where Are Your Shoes? Tomorrow... Heidi Bee Roemer brings us 3-D Geometry Geek! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
4 comments:
Winter will not find redress
Against this jaunty stubbornness..
Ooh, so gorgeous, on so many levels - an audible semaphore is such a funny idea, and yet, part of you nods, "Exactly." I love this one.
I loved this poem. It conveys such an atmosphere and story. And I love the music of his words. I love poetry per se, but I especially love poetry that rhymes when it's done well. And this was done so well! Thanks for a lovely share.
What imagery! Wow Fusek Peters ain't playing when it comes to verse. The illustration is BEAUTIFUL as well. One of the days (if he and Yolen do another anthology) I'll be all over it!
Bird song is much on my mind these days, too. The robins are starting to sing in the dark, which means that spring is just around the corner (or behind the door, as the case may be).
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