Monday, January 14, 2008

Ribbons of Sky



Ribbons of Sky

for Kate and Annie

Who can beat the beauty
of this slow ribboning of sky
stacked blue on gray soon yellow
now peach in deep December
highlighted in one window wet
with color winking green all straight-up
lucky bamboo stalking skyward
overlooking sweet-red wilted autumn
stored still in red vinca geranium
whose pink dendrobium orchid neighbor
quietly wildly partners with winter?

--Al Young
December 16, 2007

* * *

I'm honored to say that California Poet Laureate Al Young wrote the above gorgeous poem for Annie and me. When we returned from Hawaii, I shared my photos with him--and he serendipitiously realized this photo of a sunset on the Big Island is a perfect match for the poem.

Check out Al's great new website here.