The magazine celebrates experiences in the natural world and aims to encourage children's participation in wild, slightly untamed places. I'm all for that.
Today, I am sharing a couple of other poems with connections to the environments in which we wander and explore.
Night Sky On The Gibber Plain
Standing next to an artesian bore
In the Simpson desert
Looking across the gibber plain at night
A carpet of small stones
Reminiscent of snow under the moon's generous spell
Stretches into the endless heartland
beneath intense reflected light
The only sound
that registers
Is my own soft, breathing.
Far removed from the city lights
The neon flashes,
-the constant noise,
And gritty air,
The stars of the night sky
Shone with unrestricted intensity
A sparkling star garden of luminous light
Mesmerising beauty in a remote dreamland.
I became a willing sky reader,
Stargazer,
-absorbing wonder.
I saw what the ancient’s saw
Out there on the gibber plain
When the night sky
had the starring role.
Alan j Wright
Congratulations on the publication! I think I need to read SPELT in its entirety...will see if I can find a copy. And gibber! What a great word. Thank you for the explanation.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Irene. May Spelt meet your expectations. Gibber is indeed a great word.
DeleteCongratulations on the Spelt acceptances (and I was about to look up gibber as I read your poem, so I appreciated the definition and photo!)
ReplyDeleteThanks Buffy. I felt an explanation was in order for 'gibber.' Glad you appreicated it.
DeleteCongratulations on your publications! I am really glad you shared your poem about your hometown in your voice and though I grew up in New York State, there were similarities to my childhood, the rural nature of it. I also loved contemplating the Gibber plain, a new term for me and an interesting word.
ReplyDeleteAs much as we are different and separated by vast distances, there are no doubt commonalities surrounding our respective childhoods. The rural experience and it strong connection to the natural world is one that resonates strongly for those of us who lived that experience. It's good for all of us to come across new words, I feel.
Delete"beauty in a remote dreamland" -- made me immediately think of my home desert and smiled warmly reading your inspiration in Australia. I can envision the "carpet of small stones" sparkling in reply to a night sky. Gorgeous. I also tried to imagine your voice (before the recording) as Justine Hayward/John Lodge's speaking lyrics in Nights In White Satin :)
ReplyDeleteDesert topography is common ground (pardon the pun) for those of us who have spent time in such environments. My wife is a long time fan of the Moody Blues, so your reference to Nights In White Satin is a familiar one. Not sure if I sound at all like that, but it was fun to present that poem in the very location I grew up in.
DeleteCongratulations on the publication, and thanks for taking us out into the Australian desert. That's a sky I'd love to see someday!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary Lee. Always pleasing when your launched poems find a safe place to land. The Australian desert aka-the heartland is so vast and so mystical at night. I was 17 when I had that experience. It was memorable as you can see from the poem.
DeleteI see the photo of your 'gibber plain' & it looks like volcanic rock but I looked it up & found that it is silica-hardened, a new thing to me. I like how at night you compared it to snow. And I love the video, you're wandering through the childhood times, Alan. I'm going back to visit my own hometown next month, will remember some of those same things, like lemonade & homemade ice cream, the special trip. Congratulations for your coming publication! Spelt is also new to me, so thanks for that, too. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThe curious learner within you emerges, Linda. May you feel the memories as you walk in familiar streets next month. I found it a most rewarding experience. Thank you for kind words regarding Spelt. You mentioned 'silica' in your remarks. That explains the glow under the moonlight that i referred to as being like snow.
DeleteI'm fascinated by the gibber plains you describe and could envision how they would look like snow under the moon's "generous" glow. Thanks for that and for all your natural poetic celebrations. Congratulations on your publication in Spelt!
ReplyDeleteThanks Molly. The gibber plains are indeed a fascination. The dreamtime stories of our first nations people have connections in such places.
DeleteCongrats, Alan! And thanks for the intro to the gibber plains. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Bridget. Glad you appreciated a glimpse of the gibber plains.
DeleteCongraulations, Alan. Your poem is so filled with imagery that I feel I am part of the desert this morning. I think the best part of your post today is listening to your video. You invited us in to your space and then waved goodby. Thank you for the invitation to spend time in your locale.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carol. So glad you felt connected by the poem and the photographs. Also glad you appreciated the video. The wave goodbye was an extra flourish as I rewalked those familiar winding tracks through the forest.
DeleteBelated thanks for this trip via your moving poem "Summer in the Hills" —What an adventure with words, surrounds, sounds, and textures, and what an incredible place to have as a childhood stomping grounds.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments, Michelle. You are correct. It was a most fortunate place to grow up in.
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