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Monday, November 9, 2015

Wild about Antarctica!

Today I'm celebrating with dear friend, Irene Latham, on her ten year anniversary in the blogosphere. Irene has inspired me, challenged me, and entertained me for many of these ten years at Live Your Poem, where she does exactly that!

Many of us in the Kidslitosphere begin January with "One Little Word" for the year. I'm not sure, but this may have been Irene's invention, too. Irene's word for 2015 is WILD. You can see her post here, along with a pretty wild picture of the wild little girl she was. It's only appropriate that she has invited those of us who know and love her to be wild with her today. 

Here is my take on the topic. I'm still stuck in Antarctica, definitely a wild place. Cape Denison, the home base of Australian explorer Douglas Mawson, is the windiest place on earth. Katabatic winds blow down the surface of the Antarctic ice cap, pulled by gravity, gathering snow, until they reach hurricane speeds. These rivers of icy wind can blow for days. Explorers of old and research scientists of today can only sit and wait for the winds to cease. 

The poem below is a mask, or persona poem, written in the voice of the wind. Stop by Irene's blog where she is rounding up all of today's wild celebration posts. Happy Anniversary, Irene!

Katabatic winds at Cape Denison, Antartica. Photograph by Frank Hurley, 1912




Wind Warning

Set no foot here
or suffer violence.
This shore belongs to me.

A blizzard of rage,unbridled,
I plunge down ice. I plow
the snow, slam walls of white

against your face—a maelstrom,
uncontrolled. My raging
blast demands retreat.

A knife of driven air,
my wild banshee scream
prophesies despair.

© Doraine Bennett 2015

11 comments:

  1. Doraine, my Antarctic expedition leader! That photo and your poem are so powerful. And ominous! That wind is certainly not welcoming. And yet... here you are, my wild, brave friend! Thank you for sharing in the celebration. And no, I did not come up with One LIttle Word. I don't know who started that, but I sure am grateful. It's become an important practice in my life. Miss you, love you, so grateful for you. xo
    p.s. was talking with some people last night who went on a cruise to Antarctica, with a professor here at UAB -- instantly thought of you!

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  2. Doraine, my Antarctic expedition leader! That photo and your poem are so powerful. And ominous! That wind is certainly not welcoming. And yet... here you are, my wild, brave friend! Thank you for sharing in the celebration. And no, I did not come up with One LIttle Word. I don't know who started that, but I sure am grateful. It's become an important practice in my life. Miss you, love you, so grateful for you. xo
    p.s. was talking with some people last night who went on a cruise to Antarctica, with a professor here at UAB -- instantly thought of you!

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  3. Wow! That "knife of driven air"--fantastic, Dori!

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  4. I learned a new word from you today, Dori, "Katabatic". Oh that picture, hard to imagine in 1912 with their clothing unlike today's. Your poem makes me shiver, "This shore belongs to me." Wildly emphatic, & perhaps a metaphor for Irene making her stand! Wonderful!

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  5. You are definitely in a wild place! Sounds fascinating. Love the poem!

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  6. "the snow, slam walls of white" What a marvelous line to read aloud!

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  7. What a powerful voice this wind has—"This shore belongs to me." Thanks for giving me a shiver today, Doraine.

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  8. Yes, that "knife of driven air" - Ouch! Full of power, just those right words. The wild is so powerful, isn't it? Keep writing your powerful poems, My Friend!

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  9. Wow, what an adventure you must be having--love the voice of that powerful wind who states, "this shore belongs to me." Sounds like there's no argument about that!

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  10. Brr! Thanks for the wonderful poem!

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  11. Appreciations for this wild warning, Dori. Hopeful the "banshee scream" abates if it is still wind-blizzarding.

    And Good Luck with your research + expedition.

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