Edited and introduced by Wesley McNair, Maine poet laureate
This week’s poem from a past column was chosen by Margaret S. Davenport, who writes: “In Rangeley, we love our loons, listening, picturing, and anxiously counting them.” The poem reminds her, she adds, that like the loons, “we also dive under, to catch that silver fish of an elusive dream.”
Listening for Loons
By Gary Lawless
i
wild roses down
to the water
one loon alone
northeast of the island
cedarscent
ii
water lily or
loon white
on the water both
bright
flowers flowers
on the surface of
this world
iii
like loons we dive under
dive under and
come up somewhere else
iv
every night now
i listen for loons
to hear their voices
to leave this body
to return to stars
Take Heart: A Conversation in Poetry is produced in collaboration with the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance. Poem copyright © Gary Lawless. Reprinted from “Listening for Loons,” by permission of Gary Lawless. Questions about Take Heart, which is no longer accepting submissions, may be directed to Gibson Fay-LeBlanc at mainepoetlaureate@gmail.com.
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