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.