I’ve barely participated in Poetry Friday over the past few months, but happily I happened to stumble upon Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s recent post, “Answer an Unasked Question“. I was utterly enchanted by her poem called “Answer”, a whimsical imagining of taking tea with the moon. Amy invited readers to “Think of something someone might wonder, real or pretend…and then write a poem answering this question.” I passed her invitation along to the Inklings for our monthly challenge.
Here’s my response to that challenge, along with a big nod of thanks to Mary Lee for sharing the mentor poem “Because of a Redwood” (which heavily influenced my poem’s structure) and to Joe Cottonwood for writing it. I also think a bit of influence seeped in from a little book I found long ago called “The Tiniest Sound” by Mel Evans.
Why?
Because when I step outside
and close my eyes
I can hear the sun
rising above the horizon
inch by slow inch,
probing its warm, gentle rays
into piles of fallen leaves
Because there’s the faintest rustle
as frost loosens its grip
from limned leaves
of maple, aspen or oak,
shifts from glitter to flow,
then lets go
to drip
drop
onto crisply tousled grass
then slowly seep into waiting earth
where drowsy roots shift and murmur
in greeting and gratitude
Because I can feel the air
tremble and hum
in anticipation of the coming day
in all its fragile vulnerable wonderful newness
And because every single day
the birds waken, eager to sing
first a note or two
then a burgeoning chorus
that pierces the morning hush
like a beam of light striking a crystal,
splintering silence
into a dazzling crescendo
of glorious, vibrant waves
that wash over me
again and again
So that anything
and everything
seems possible
©Molly Hogan, draft
If you’d like to read what the other Inklings did with this challenge, click on the links:
Linda Mitchell
Margaret Simon
Heidi Mordhorst
MaryLee Hahn
and be sure to visit Catherine Flynn who is hosting Poetry Friday today and will also be sharing her response.
