David Winship
Dogwood Winter, '07
On Good Friday,
the snow flurried and laid overnight,
blanketing the springtime blooms
as late winter collapsed over early spring.
The daffodils droop,
their stems askance.
Hostas leaves lie limp,
transparent from the freeze.
Growing green and
luscious pink
peek through icy white,
visions of beauty and death.
Dogwood Winter comes yearly,
a reminder of a season not yet gone.
The hallelujah of spring
overcomes winter's mournful sighs.
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ABOUT THE POET:
David Winship says, "My father, George P. 'Pat' Winship, was the inspiration for my writing poetry. During his tenure at King College, his poetry graced Christmas cards and many chapbooks, often produced at his letterpress shop, where I got ink in my blood."
Winship is active with the Appalachian Poets & Writers group. His poetry has been published in A! Magazine for the Arts and The Clinch Mountain Review. In 2007 he self-published a collection of poems entitled Praying Rain. He has previously been a columnist for the Abingdon Virginian, and has served on committees for the Virginia Highlands Festival, Highlands Jazz Festival and Birthplace of Country Music Alliance.
A native of Bristol, Tennessee, Winship currently lives in Abingdon, Va., where he works with the Washington County School System. Following two decades as librarian at elementary and high schools, he currently facilitates the gifted program.
# # #
Praying Rain
by David Winship
Those
whose web of life
is anchored to the sky
pray rain.
Those
who hold Nature
at an arm's length
pray for rain.
Rain
ozone odor
moist breeze
darkening clouds
whistling wind
quenching moistness
comes
when the prayer
accepts
rain's blessing.
# # #
Intent on a scent
by David Winship
Whispering
wind weaves
through branches
without leaves,
beneath the limbs
sweeping the sky
like broomstraw on
clouds of cotton white,
dog on a lead
hugging the ground
olfactory orifice
inclined down
following scents
tracing past passing
of some canine's
long gone zigzagging
marking the blaze
left leg cocked out
until the bladder's
tapped out.
In appreciative ignorance
I follow the tail
knowing I'll never
smell the trail.
# # #
THERE'S MORE:
Meet the poets featured in the April issue of A! MAGAZINE FOR THE ARTS and read their poetry by following the links below:
-- Henry McCarthy
-- Lena Cantrell McNicholas
-- Samuel Miller, M.D.
-- Poetry Events
-- Arts All Around: A Day Without Poetry by Barbara-lyn Morris
-- Arts for Youth Spotlight: ETSU Senior Researches Japanese Poet
-- Back to the main story by Rita Quillen
-- Jane Hicks
-- Felicia Mitchell
-- Delilah O'Haynes
-- Neva Bryan
-- Rees Shearer
-- Gretchen McCroskey
-- Benjamin Dugger
-- Warren Meredith Harris
