Once upon a land, the sun dawns bright day
over rolling valleys of green, forests
of Douglas fir, spruce, pine, aspen, balsam
blanket fields and mountains carved by glaciers
Once upon a land, sky is never ending
over long shadows of fir, larch, pine trees
wild creatures graze and roam, untamed but for
wind roaring the birth cries, chanting dead songs
Once upon a land, the full pearled moon
shimmers over the alpine lake, milk-blue sheen
We will stay here, bedding, forging new paths
We will die here, marking our scents & tales
Bison herd was reintroduced in Alberta, Canada in Feb. 1, 2018. Since then Banff's bison herd has been growing, thriving as it explores new range, Parks Canada says. All 10 expectant mothers successfully gave birth in Banff’s backcountry; bring the total number to 34. Source.
Posted for dVerse poets - OpenLinkNight, hosted by Kim Russell.
Bless the bison, hope they thrive. We have buffalo ranches down here, and the meat is sold in markets. Nice extension of the 'ONCE UPON" prompt. I adore Larch trees, the only evergreen that turns the color of its needles; sparks of gold in our autumn fir and pine forests.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderfully atmospheric, Grace! Love the image of "the full pearled moon shimmers over the alpine lake."❤️
ReplyDeleteI hope the buffalo do well. This is a wonderful take in the once upon theme.
ReplyDeleteOoh, some wonderful imagery in there — all in all the environment of wilderness comes alive in your words.
ReplyDeleteThis bit in particular is so well phrased: "untamed but for/wind roaring the birth cries, chanting dead songs".
I have wanted to visit Canada since I was a teenager, Grace, and never got the chance. Reading this poem, I can imagine miles and miles of forests, of all different kinds of bark, branch and leaf, smell the balsam and those ‘mountains carved by glaciers’. Thank you so much for the photograph and the information about bison. How wonderful that they have been reintroduced.
ReplyDeleteIn a word burning in from all directions, refugium like this are saving Grace. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they can continue to thrive there indeed
ReplyDeleteThis really pulled me in. I felt like I was there.
ReplyDeleteNice last line marking our tales.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so much like a National hymn with the beauty of its land... maybe the bison will sing
ReplyDeleteSome beautiful imagery here Grace, I love 'Once upon a land, sky is never ending' and I am so happy to heae the Bison are doing so well in their resettlement programme :o) xxx
ReplyDeleteYou have really captured the bounty of the wilderness. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love the descriptive nature of this piece. Some lovely imagery used.
ReplyDeleteI can just imagine what the wild wilderness was like before our ancestors set foot here. Nice poem Grace!
ReplyDeleteI love this!
ReplyDeleteI love the place in your poem. :-) Sounds like paradise.
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend, Grace. :-)
a stunning photo, a pen to match, and much-needed light and good news in this age of dark ~
ReplyDeleteOh! That full pearled moon!!! Nice use of the “stock” phrase prompt. Between the Lillian-disallowed usual “time” I love the choice of land, a wonder-full symmetry of space and time. Filling in the corners with vibrant life hoofing its way back to sustainability, I believe you have all the dimensions of the universe covered. Also, I love how you have bent time by juxtaposing the “once upon” which implies a tale from a bygone era with verbs rooted firmly in the present, lending a powerful affirmation of strength to this bison manifesto - transforming the “Once” into a revelation that all time is bundled in one bound package, it is altogether all together. We only have one chance with it, same goes for the rich and infinitesimally small little corner of space/land we have been given. And the life? It is even smaller and more tenuous in its hoof-hold, and yet contains all the meaning. Long live the bison! Vote Grace for time-lord, the next Dr. Who!
ReplyDeleteI can hear the song of "Once Upon a Land". Long live the bison.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought of bison as American but glad to know of this Canadian herd...may they live long, free and wild in one of the continents most beautiful parks!
ReplyDeleteThe last stanza, especially anchored by the brilliant "full pearled moon" is as beautiful as the land you describe.
ReplyDelete