Thursday, June 08, 2006

My friend Cati created a gorgeous new online poetry journal, Poemeleon, which just launched today. Congratulations, Cati! I am honored to be part of it.

You can find three of my poems as well as a brief statement about my poetics of place here. I am glad to be in the company of such wonderful poets as Maureen Alsop, Lavina Blossom, Lucia Galloway, and Judy Kronenfeld (all of whom, along with Cati, are part of my poetry group), as well as many other fine poets who aren't part of our illustrious gaggle.

It's fun timing that my poem about jacaranda trees came out when the jacarandas are in full explosion around town. I am in love with that incandescent purple; I think those trees are one of my very favorite things to look at, ever. I'm going to have to drive down Indian Hill Blvd in Claremont sometime soon--the street is lined on both sides with huge, healthy jacaranda trees. They arc toward each other in the center of the road, creating a cathedral of lilac light. It makes me inordinately happy to be inside that glow.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just read your introduction to your poems on poemeleon.What a coincidence. I too grew up only a few blocks from Lake Michigan in Highland Park and later in Kenilworth. I remember endless exploring walks on the beach collecting odd stuff which floated in. I remeber the horizon too, but iI think, i remmber the shoreline best. Here's a visual you can "put away wet" the Bi'Hai temple floating in the distance- two big chimneys puffing smoke somewhere north up by the border with Wisconsin.

gayle said...

Hi Ray! Great to meet another North Shore native around these parts. Thank you so much for that dripping wet image! I have such clear memories of the Bahai Temple (what an amazing building!), but had completely forgotten about the smokestacks until you mentioned them. Thank you for bringing part of my childhood landscape back to life!