you were a young alaska (poem)
first draft, Nov 15, 2018
rose city blues weekend
se water ave, portland, oregon
you were a young alaska
before feeling the first time you were frozen
before loving life so bright you loved
every bulb on blizzard strings of northern lights
then, I was the risen sun
only waking up an opposite ocean
sending brave a humpback whale
across Aleutian sea
a tide of waves pressed against its
barnacle back
washing warm your bear star shore
how gold--the first gift shop globe shaken
all glitter settling on sacred water
In mornings your mountains found me
before sand hardened into granite
before the Inupiat turned with time
into gracious ones
puffed fur of snow
I loved you Alaska
I just thought you should know