Caution: Deep Water - a poetic book review

the free spirit must not be caged

for Katherine L. Gordon (on reading her Caution: Deep Water)



Dear Katherine,

this may be your best book yet
your most important story
the imprisoning of a shaman spirit
in a 'progressive' Canadian retirement home

your saddest book, too
it's all here - readers will
feel your loss of the spirit visitors
the ferny spreadings and season
changes in your Spirit Valley

A too true cautionary tale
first word in your title
CAUTION!
Caution: Deep Water

I, too, left my spirit valley
retreated to a small village lot
but your wisdom decrees
when the retirement home beckons

CAUTION!!!!!
swim - swim far, far out
into Lake Ontario
this body will sink
but the spirit owl shaman
who invaded me long ago

will rise and fly
deep water is not the realm
for free spirits

Chris