Prairie Fire

Photo by Leigh of www.larrapin.us

On Nov 16, 2010, at 9:00 AM, Kamala Parker wrote:

Mendy,

I wrote a poem today. It is inspired by a cherry/crab apple tree at the front of The Fire studio:

When winter comes

Bitter apples not for eating

Still nurture the eye

Clustered in the light

along sleeping leaves

Red, gold, earthen

Like a mother bird

Sheltering fledglings

In a gentle rain

We complain about

Raking, and petroleum

Leaf blowing, fruit falling

To stain the paint of our

Shiny cars. Forgetting

It wasn’t like this once.

We use to pray in the

Colors of harvest

Give thanks, laugh with

Our lover. Now, the

Alarm rings and we

Are late for something

When we would rather

rest. Simple in our sleep.

Sincerely,

Kam

———

From: Mendy Knott

Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 2:39 PM

To: Kamala Parker

Subject: Re: rough draft, winter poem

Dear Kam,

This is such a lovely poem. Would you mind if I read it at HOWL this Sunday? It will bring a little bit of you into my open mic, which I really miss--having you there and hearing your work. Can I call it Prairie Fire? That's the name of our crab apple tree in the yard which we love and took pictures of this fall, with their bright little apples against a fall blue sky. Thanks for sharing this.

My young niece (20) came through on her way home for Thanksgiving. I adore her. She is really growing up--and beautiful. It was lovely to hear how she admires the way Leigh and I work and live at home.

Take care my friend. Have a good Thanksgiving, whatever you do. Have been busting my butt on this family cookbook, but it is at the designer as of today. And we are on the short end of a long stick now. Thank goodness. I love you, buddy. Keep the pen moving.

Even a moment to write a short poem is so much better than not writing.

Love, Mendy

———

On Nov 20, 2010, at 8:24 AM, Kamala Parker wrote:

Mendy, I thought about you when I wrote it. About the first time on the farm in Celo when you taught me about abstract versus something solid, something someone could imagine in their mind’s eye.

Have a wonderful holiday ! I’ll be in touch soon with a longer note and an update on my wonderful life! Please give Leigh a hug for me.

I love you too,

Kam :^)

———

Within this exchange of emails and a poem are a handful of hints to good writing:

#1 When we don't seem to have a lot of time for personal creativity, we tend to quit trying. What I told Kam, and what I'm telling you, is that some time is always better than no time. Take what you can find. Be prepared with your tools (pen, paper, pencil) at any given moment. Stop for 10 or 15 minutes and write what you observe. That is what Kam did here and it's a beautiful reminder of what we find important when we pause for breath.

#2 Use all the senses when writing. Paint a mental image that shows the reader what can't be said in the all-too-common abstract words we use daily. Doesn't the picture of this crab apple tree in poetry and picture say more about how little time we take to observe and appreciate life than the words I just wrote do? No preaching; only painting.

#3 Find someone with whom you can share your art. It doesn't matter if it's a "rough draft" sent in an email or read aloud to your spouse or best friend. Two great events are occurring when we share our work: we are speaking our intention to create out loud AND we are becoming better listeners. Both parties benefit.

So thanks, Kam, for allowing me to share this beautiful piece with my open mic group, and now with all my blog readers. It was so meaningful to me to receive it, and it made me feel good that I had been able to help another writer. You see, her poem touched more lives than she ever knew it would when Kam took that 15 minutes to observe a "prairie fire."