April Poetry: Ingrid Karnikis

In recognition of Poetry Month, and to celebrate and highlight our treasure trove of Orcas Island poets, Orcas Issues is pleased and honored to again offer daily poetry during April.

MORNING SONG

— by Ingrid Karnikis —

Early morning bird
singing in darkness,
your liquid trill a hymn
to light unseen,
your joyous lyrics sing
your faith in brightness
yet to come.

May we, like you,
in early morning gloom,
anticipate the rising sun
and carry your bright anthem
through the hours of each day.

THE HAY FIELD

— by Ingrid Karnikis —

tips west toward the road
and dark Mount Pickett
will soon cast its shadow
.We must rush
for we are young and the bales wait,
bound with twine, golden in late sun.
Black clouds pile in the south east
and  distant thunder rumbles.
.We take turns driving the old Ford pick-up,
move slowly over ploughed  earth
to collect the bales one by one.
The children play happily wild
in the expectant air.
Impatient to be done, we glance at the sky,
at each other.
You heave the last bale into the truck,
the four of us squeeze in,
to head home
around a hairpin curve,
a sharp right turn.
The bales teeter on the cab,
an apple branch  snags them
but they hold.
The children and I shout, “Careful”,
but you drive straight to the barn
.before lightning crashes
and the first fat raindrops hit.

GRAY

 — by Ingrid Karnikis —

Solstice promised light
but days continue clothed in gray.
Tiny birds forget to bathe
in their cold bath,
tree limbs —
a dark network.
Shade lies damp upon the grass
and cold porridge awaits my spoon.

Dispel this gray and find in it
the luminescent waters
of a calm northern sea,
a bird’s nest lined soft
with down
a dove’s breast,
and a black stone
glistening with drops
from recent rain.