In fasting
I am stripped down to hunger,
to desire, raw need.
What are these cravings that gnaw at the pit of my stomach,
directing my heart and mind and hands,
eating into my dreams,
demanding to be fed?
In fasting
I must face hunger,
look into its greedy eyes,
and deny it,
deny myself.
In fasting
my soul growls at God,
honest in doubt, honest in need,
empty
with no bread or wine in sight,
only an invitation to “Follow Me.”
~lg
Do you wish to hear a secret?
Put on your boots and go into the woods
Go as a child would
Running and skipping with eyes full of wonder
There you will find a certain grove of trees
And a little patch of moss in the centre
Plant your feet into the earth and
Stretch your arms up to the patch of blue
Now close your eyes and breathe
If you stand very still, very patiently
Your eight year old ears will open
And you will hear once again the murmurs of the forest
The trees are speaking
Telling the story of the deepest mystery
The rising of sap in the spring
And the origin of the colour green
~lg
I met a man in the grocery store with the face of a wanderer
And a cart full of hot dogs
He stopped me to tell me he saw faith in my daughter’s eyes
The faith he needed to keep going
I almost brushed him off
Too busy to talk to an old drunk
Too busy to talk to Jesus
~lg
Aurora
I close my eyes and create your contours
Relive our last slow dance beneath the stars
That night we said farewell
I saw your true colours
The reward for my insomnia
But you are a shape-shifter
And my feet too clumsy to follow
You are too easy to love
But too quick to leave me
You left a magnet in my chest
An image burned in my mind
I can still feel your movement
Though you dance a thousand miles from me
One day your music will draw me back
I will succumb to your cold breath
Your fingers of fire
If only for one night
Oh Aurora!
You are too easy to love
But too quick to leave me
~lg
*photo by Karl Johnston, Fort Smith, NWT
This is a poem I wrote years ago in honour of our winter camp at PWK High School in Fort Smith, NWT. Every February, my thoughts inevitably turn back to the happy days spent in the bush. And so for a little fun, here is my Ode to Winter Camp.
It’s winter at PWK
And every student knows
The boldest campers will set forth
To brave the ice and snow
In the light of February’s dawn
Their silhouettes appear
Framed with furry parkas
And ski-doos piled high with gear
We are the winter campers
Winter campers ho!
We will brave the northern bush
At twenty-two below!
Doucette and Ransom, fearless leaders
Forge the trail ahead
We follow in their snowshoe prints
To Louie’s trapper shed
We make our beds on boughs of spruce
We shiver through the night
We chop down trees at midnight’s stroke
To keep the fire bright
We are the winter campers
Winter campers ho!
We survive the northern bush
At thirty-two below!
We set our nets beneath the ice
To catch our fill of fish
We trap and snare for furry beasts
To fill our supper dish
We skin the bloated caribou
On Piers Lake’s floor of ice
We revel in the blood and guts
And my those steaks taste nice!
We are the winter campers
Winter campers ho!
We will thrive in northern bush
At forty-two below!
We cut a path through barren lands
Our topo maps to guide
We sweat and toil to find our way
With compass at our side
We do not fear the howling wolves
Nor trees lit from a spark
We do not shrink from frozen toes
Nor outhouse in the dark
We are the winter campers
Winter campers ho!
We have conquered northern bush
At fifty-two below!
We have danced with northern lights
Around the campfire’s glow
We know the secrets of the bush
And how to pee in snow
We are a strong but stinky crew
Adventurers at heart
We love to tell our stories
And embellish every part
We are the winter campers
Winter campers ho!
We will camp in northern bush
When none else dare to go!
~lg