Yesterday I had the honor to read my poem “After A Summer Of Wildfires” (with so many other wonderful poets from this beautiful place we call “The West Sound”) at Collective Visions Gallery in Bremerton, Washington.
Ars Poetica is now in its fifth year and is a poetry contest whereby poets from Kitsap, Jefferson and Mason counties submit their poems to a jury for consideration. The poems that are chosen are then read by gallery artists from Collective Visions Gallery in Bremerton and Front Street Gallery in Poulsbo. Artists then choose a poem or poems they would like to interpret visually.
Artist Bill Walcott selected my poem and painted Mt. Constance in the Olympic Mountains from a photo he took. He than added his interpretation of the remains of a wildfire on its flanks inspired by pictures of wildfires at Yellowstone. The painting is amazing in its detail and I was really astounded with its realism. With Bill’s permission I am including it below with my poem. Enjoy.
AFTER A SUMMER OF WILDFIRES
I.
The sky is not ablaze.
Flame has gone from high to low.
Hills still smolder.
Beneath cauterized earth
soft melt of flesh will erupt green.
II.
Mt. Constance is a stunner.
A bridal veil peak at seven thousand feet.
In the car, I am like a groom, not wanting
this white moment to be over
or to be fooled by a name—
but to inhale
deep.
Yours in poetry,
Carey
Carey Taylor 