Poetry, Summer Song and Little Birds

Marsh Wren
encaustic, oil and graphite on birch 6x6

A friend sent me this lovely poem - with a note that said "I feel like Nancy wrote this poem for every artist I know".  I totally agree -



Summer Song

 

Tonight I break the map that says don’t sell yourself

I brag and leave the humble out of it

I kick the Minnesota-raised girl to the curb

and yell, “I am fucking awesome!”

 

Sing it girl, don’t be shy.

What’s the use of pretending I’m dull?

I’ve got a loud voice, I’ll use it.

I’ll not waste another minute.

 

Translate fear into possibility

take the gnaw in my stomach

belch it out

until my core glows orange, no pain left.

 

What’s doubt and dread

except stagnation to grow

up and out of? I’ll turn tiny-ness

on its head and live large, for sure

 

I wear my brave face

I dance in the street

with pure abandon

sing with all of my notes out of tune.

 

I do karaoke with no machine

until my family laughs

the neighbors come onto their doorsteps

they cheer me on.

 

Summer is short, its nights long

and full of sweetness; I practice daring

on the cooled concrete

while the red sun sets

 

an orange globe of power

that I swallow whole

voice loud with song

my body a ray of light.

7.10.2015

  

Best,

Nancy Schatz Alton

Freelance Writer, Editor & Writing Coach

Co-author of The Healthy Back Book & The Healthy Knees Book

www.withinthewords.com