To obscured moments

Standard

I could try and describe this
This coordinates, compass points, the quick step of contour lines
Slip into these karst cave holes in our memories of moments
That occurred here
And here

But a forest of metaphors only obscures the trees
So lie down now
Belly spooned to dull stone spine
The collected seductive sedation of sediments

–  Excerpt from Tanis  Rideout’s Reclamation

I like her beginning. I could try to describe this.  (Whatever this is.) But my metaphors only obscure the trees. Or in this case, the Lake. And the sky. 

I was looking for poetry about Lake Ontario (there is not enough. If you know of any, please direct me to it!), and came across the name Tanis Rideout (poet). I could only find this video, of her performing the piece “Reclamation” on Sarah Harmer’s (singer-songwriter) “Escarpment Blues” tour/documentary film. “Escarpment Blues” promoted the protection of the Niagara Escarpment and protested proposed quarry development.  (I’m only learning about this now, so I’ll have to do more research, and look up Rideout’s and Harmer’s other work!)

4 thoughts on “To obscured moments

  1. Hi!

    I’m glad you enjoyed the poem! And maybe it’s just coincidence, but I have a book of poems about Lake Ontario coming out in the spring. It’s called Arguments with the Lake and will be published in the spring by Wolsak and Wynn.

    Thanks!

    Tanis Rideout

  2. merrymennonite

    I love the area I live in now and how agrarian it is, but I definitely miss living near Lake Ontario. I used to so enjoy walking on the shore in Niagara. There’s something uniquely magical (in the arcane, pagan sense) about large bodies of water.

    • alittlevoice

      I always missed the Lake when I was away at school! I’m curious to see where I end up settling down. Hopefully near water, but if not, I’ll just have to dig myself a very large pond!

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