As my poem “Fault Lines” reveals, I was born at the sandy edge of the Southern Oregon coast. It was the beginning of January and winter storms heaved forests of Bull Kelp onto the beach, while Grays migrated south from the icy Bearing Sea to warm lagoons in Baja.
I believe my love for the coastal landscape of the Pacific Northwest began with my first breath of sea air. Early on, I felt this landscape was a kindred spirit, and its hold on me only deepened with each move my family made along its coastal edges. Places like Bandon, Port Orford, Charleston, Garibaldi, Florence, Anacortes, Port Townsend, Burrows Island and Port Ludlow.
As a child I wandered beaches alone, rode my horse up old logging roads, hung my head over marina docks, crossed the bar at Coos Bay, dug for clams with small bare hands, built forts from driftwood, sucked the sweet meat from a Dungeness crab claw, ate Salmonberries, fished for bluegills, climbed sand dunes, went to sleep to the sound of a lighthouse fog horn and by each slow accrual, found my “place.”
I believe it was in these places, that the poet in me was born.
And after a life of work, two college degrees, marriage, and raising a family,—all away from the maritime world I loved, I literally sold my house, packed my car and headed home.
And once back, I began to write. I began to understand my own story. I found the girl in me, I had left on the beach so many years ago is now happy writing her poems from a desk that overlooks the Puget Sound, where she can smell the brine of life from the bay below.
Feel free to keep in touch. I would love to hear from you.
Yours in poetry,
Carey
Hi Carey: I hope to meet you- thank you for suggesting this years theme.
I would also like to know how you got such a nice website. I am not on Facebook or social media , but after resuming writing poetry a few years ago (I’m also a musician) I probably need to get “out there” more.
2 of my poems were selected for Ars Poetica when first begun in 2012, and this is my 4th year for BI’s Poetry Corners. I too was in Ireland in August 2013- I split my time for the past 3 years between here and Co. Galway- that’s another story.
I wrote a poem about SH there not knowing about this years’ theme- so-:)
thanks for the brilliant suggestion. Joanne Pramhus= joanneo23@yahoo.com
Joanne, the experience in Ireland was pretty amazing, and if you were there, I am sure you can relate. I am so happy it was chosen for the theme this year. It is one small way to honor an amazing man and poet. I look forward to reading your poem.
Carey
I just chanced upon your blog while reading another one. I’m glad I wandered off down the path that led me here because your blog looks very interesting and something I know I will like exploring. I, too, was a teacher (for 34 years) prior to retiring, and a poet who was active and inactive for years at a time. How nice to meet you. Best wishes, Mary.
Hi Mary,
So happy you found my blog…sounds like we have been on a similar path. Isn’t it a gift to be on this end of work, parenting, etc. etc. and have time read, write, contemplate life and write poems to share our vision on the world? I am so sorry for the slow response, but I have had a “glitch” with wordpress and just now got it resolved. Happy Holidays….
In poetry,
Carey
Happy holidays to you and yours, Carey.