Poetry Corner: Describing the natural world

Image by James DeMers from Pixabay
October 7, 2024

Images that capture our imagination

By Barry Vitcov

Short poems and haiku often use visual images to communicate a mood, a feeling, an ephemeral moment. Donna Boem and Alice Mallory offer poems that give us their impressions of familiar moments; instances best described by poetry. These poems might be called appetizers for the imagination. Where do they take you?

What images capture your imagination? What poetry emerges? You are encouraged to submit poems to the Poetry Corner about images you’ve noticed in Southern Oregon. See below for how to submit.

Heading North On HWY 99

By Donna Boehm

Cottonwood snowfall,
summertime blizzard
tossed peaceably
on wind drift.
Downy soft sketches
on fluffy white edges
of forest roadsides.

After moving to the Rogue Valley from Chicago, via many years in the Bay Area, Donna Boehm has found a community that supports her creative energies. Always a curious creative, she has been a contributor to many local theater companies and the opera for many years as a prop mistress. She considers herself to be a backstage diva, often behind the scenes adding a visual sense of reality for the audience. Meanwhile, when not working between lights up, curtain down, or volunteering with theater groups and participating in occasional onstage productions, she writes prose and poetry, most often reflecting matters of the heart. Also, an accomplished floral artist, she creates for several organizations including The Schneider Museum of Art and Celia’s House Hospice care. To those who have played their parts in her life, she thanks you for what you do with words from a song in A Chorus Line: “You did what you had to do, the sweetness and the sorrow. Don’t forget, don’t regret what you did for love. As you travel on, love’s what you’ll remember.

Haiku

By Alice Mallory

Looking for earthworms
after the rain
no stone goes unturned

Butterfly café
Memorial Day special
sweet nectar on tap

Blue heron hovers
silently stalking
fresh catch of the day

Hot pink peonies
lure me up the garden path
to the open gate

Springtime reverie
underneath shifting clouds
Pompadour stands proud

Alice Mallory is a Southern California native and former teacher who began visiting Oregon on road trips with her husband in the 1970s. They soon began annual treks to Ashland, finally relocating in 2008 after retirement from Los Angeles Unified School District. Alice credits the Haiku Corner in the former Ashland Tidings for re-kindling her interest in short form poetry. She often pairs her haiku with one of her photos of the human or natural world, and also enjoys writing haibun. In retirement she enjoys haiku walks, playing piano, capturing the moment with her iPhone camera, and the support and camaraderie of a group of poet friends who meet bi-monthly. She also enjoys greeting visitors at the Plaza Information Booth and other volunteer activities.


Poetry Submissions Welcomed!


You are invited to submit original work to the Poetry Corner. There are only two restrictions: First, poems need to show a connection to Ashland and/or Southern Oregon. Your interpretation of that connection is fairly loose! Second, poems need to be aligned to the left margin. The publishing platform used by the Ashland.news has issues with the creative use of space! There are no length restrictions but try to keep your poems to no more than 30 lines. Be sure to include the title of your poem, your name as you would like it to appear, the city or town in which you reside, and, if you wish, your preferred pronouns.


To submit poems, send to Barry Vitcov at [email protected].

Dec. 16: Corrected submission email address.

Picture of Barry

Barry

Related Posts...

Our Sponsors

Klamath Bird Observatory Experience the wonders of Souteast Brazil Ashland Oregon
Conscious Design Build Ashland Oregon
Pronto Printing Ashland Medford Southern Oregon

Latest posts

School staff to get notices about potential layoffs next school year

The Ashland School Board on Thursday night turned recent snow days into furlough days and took the first step to initiate potential layoffs in the 2025-26 school year. A letter, which the board unanimously approved, will start a 30-day period for the district and the Ashland Education Association to discuss a potential reduction in force, or RIF, to deal with ongoing budget shortfalls.

Read More >

Providence Medford says nearly half of striking nurses have returned to work

Providence Medford Medical Center said Friday that 43 percent of its striking nurses have come back to work amid an historic statewide strike. The nurses union, however, calls the number “unsubstantiated.” About 380 nurses at Providence Medford went on strike Jan. 10 along with nurses at eight other hospitals around the state. In total, nearly 5,000 Oregon Nurses Association-represented nurses remain on strike.

Read More >

Two more Oregon cats die from bird flu virus in raw food

Two more Oregon cats died this month after eating raw cat food that was contaminated with the deadly bird flu virus, prompting Washington state officials to issue a recall. Pet owners should toss or return any containers of Wild Coast’s boneless free range chicken formula, lots 22660 and 22664, with a best by date of December 2025. 

Read More >

Crossword: Peak Performances

This week’s crossword: roles, runs and readings at a nearby mountain. Solve it directly in the article or download a PDF to print. Next week’s crossword: “Camelot 2025 #02.” More crosswords under the Culture menu.

Read More >

Our Sponsors

City of Ashland Public Notice Ashland Oregon
Ashland Parks and Recreation Ashland Oregon
Ashland.news House Ad

Explore More...

The Ashland School Board on Thursday night turned recent snow days into furlough days and took the first step to initiate potential layoffs in the 2025-26 school year. A letter, which the board unanimously approved, will start a 30-day period for the district and the Ashland Education Association to discuss a potential reduction in force, or RIF, to deal with ongoing budget shortfalls.
Oregon medical researchers and three Democratic members of Oregon’s congressional delegation warned that the Trump administration’s efforts to curtail funding will hamper the ability of the state’s science community to do groundbreaking research that can save lives and advance health care.
Providence Medford Medical Center said Friday that 43 percent of its striking nurses have come back to work amid an historic statewide strike. The nurses union, however, calls the number "unsubstantiated." About 380 nurses at Providence Medford went on strike Jan. 10 along with nurses at eight other hospitals around the state. In total, nearly 5,000 Oregon Nurses Association-represented nurses remain on strike.
Carrie Dahle: Here in Ashland, the real estate market remains strong, but affordability remains a central challenge.... While we haven't seen a dramatic shift toward smaller homes yet, buyers are increasingly prioritizing homes that offer efficient layouts, updated features and lower maintenance costs.
This week's crossword: roles, runs and readings at a nearby mountain. Solve it directly in the article or download a PDF to print. Next week's crossword: "Camelot 2025 #02." More crosswords under the Culture menu.
ashland.news logo

Subscribe to the newsletter and get local news sent directly to your inbox.

(It’s free)

Don't Miss Our Top Stories

Get our newsletter delivered to your inbox three times a week.
It’s FREE and you can cancel anytime.