Milt taught me to listen to birds

Milt taught me to listen to birds

(for a Green-eyed Tara Goddess)


That summer day, fated and fateful
Milt visiting, joking we were Rhodes scholars
at my Rhodes Ave house.
In the afternoon bake
I took Milt to my favourite big city haunt
Ashbridges Bay
and on a small crest Milt
showed me the shaman way 

listen to the Ravens, Chris
 
ignoring (temporarily) blonde bikinis
spread below on wet sand blankets
Milt pushed our gazes further:
sea captains of paradises
horizon scan of Lake Ontario, an inland sea to
Island Milt
 
Testosterone makes us show-offs for our Goddesses.
Poets, I told Christy once
poets, we are mad men - running naked
across rainswept fields
hoping for the lightning strike -
the best are hit more than once
crazed and crazier with each visitation
of white heat inspiration

but I have digressed from Milt's lesson
the blondes to blame, no doubt
(or dreams of a Green-eyed Tara Goddess incarnate)
Can't say I heard the birds clearly
that gorgeous summer day
but I knew then to be a true poet
I had to follow the shaman way
Milt had softly shown me

listen to the birds, Chris
 
Thank you Milt, your advice
sings true to me this summer morning
doves cooing and crows cawing
dawn chorus keeping me awake,
encouraging this poem
for you, and the gifts of a Green-eyed Goddess




Chris Faiers
Summer 2012


Milt is Milton Acorn, Canada's People's Poet, and the poet
many believe to be our most important national poet.
Milt received our highest literary honour, the Governor General's Award
for poetry, and an honourary doctorate from his home university on
Prince Edward Island. Milt was a comrade, a friend, and a mentor.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Conrad DiDiodato has left a new comment on your post "Milt taught me to listen to birds":

"Listen to the birds"--
never wanted to run so badly



Posted by Conrad DiDiodato to Riffs & Ripples from ZenRiver Gardens at 24 July 2012 09:55


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Conrad DiDiodato has left a new comment on your post "Milt taught me to listen to birds":

"Listen to the birds"--
wild grass under a cloudless sky



Posted by Conrad DiDiodato to Riffs & Ripples from ZenRiver Gardens at 25 July 2012 08:40

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~