November 23, 2008
Poems

abundance
(22 november)
what an amazing day.
the sun is warm happiness radiating
at the market voices buzz and twitter
I talk at length with four people
and indulge my vices
apples crisper than ever imagined greet me immediately and yes, kind sir, I will see you again soon.
the hall is stuffed with scents and warm colours that suggest the turning of fall into Christmas. I cannot wait for the next two.
at the market I move in slow motion, with thoughtful decisions and careful handling of the earth's most sacred gifts for which I have a delectable passion.
suddenly the presence of honey, maple and bread intermingle with curiosity and my senses urge me without hesitation to ask for a plump loaf of sourdough which I shall with butter enjoy later.
hues of pumpkins, squash and apples overflow amongst varieties of mushrooms, potatoes and dried fruits, all the colours and textures singing the plenty that is the harvest here, even so late in the fall. this is abundance.
I leave with luscious beet greens slung across my back and deeply enjoy the sight from the corner of my eye.
it makes me feel somewhat of a peasant or... something special... a collector of sorts.
a perfect day for a walk.
to pass time I follow people to a cluster of studios in the most unlikely place for the Eastside Culture Crawl which I had not planned to attend. when I am wealthy I will buy other people's art and gourmet cheese. today my wealth is my experience.
happily timed my bus arrives and I cradle my earthly belongings.
a young man strums an acoustic guitar at the back of the bus, a surprising reminder of when I once did the same.
sunlight pours in across the city and the trees, between the branches, the dead leaves
it's a perfect day

november moon
(19 november)
it was dark inside, and outside the fog had rolled in, shrouding everything, and through which the neighbour's light glowed softly. and yet I could still see shimmering clearly a star — nay, a planet — in the black sky. the moon lit up the top of the fog's arm that stretched over the inlet, yet I could not see the moon. little time had passed since I saw its reflection, perfect and white on the still water. its face looking downward and half hidden, the moon played hide-and-seek behind the thickest part of the cypress, thick enough to block it from entering the house. but I knew it was there; on the sparkling dotted glass its shape blurred and crackled. tonight it was shy but it will soon light up the darkness like a second sun, come fullness.
About
I am a communication designer in Vancouver, BC. Most of my writing and community activism are in the interconnected issues of public transit, local eating and food security, politics, health, environment, and sustainability in general. At heart, I'm a geek and a total treehugger. Nature, tea, good food and great company make me happy.
Currently reading:
"Trauma Farm: A Rebel History of Rural Life"
Brian Brett




Comments (3)
Hey Erika I love your Poems. As for the Canadian bloggers - I’ve had a love affair with Canada for a long time. It started when I found out that most of my fav bands/artists were Canadian. And a bunch of commedians & my fav actors too. Then I discovered hockey & the NHL and it was signed & sealed! I have a Canadian spirit. I admire your cities & towns, your culture, your music, your sports and your artists from afar. By the way, I also missed growing up in Canada (although I found that just a few years back). I was watching a tv series called ‘Cold Squad’ back in 2001 and my dad was watching it with me. He saw ‘Bank of Nova Scotia’ today’s Scotia Bank and told me that he was offered a position with them and possible emigration (he was working for a bank in Kuwait at the time; I was born & raised there till the age of 11). He told me that he wasn’t too sure about moving as he didn’t know much about Canada back then (this must have been the early 1979 or 80). He regretted not taking it up or I would have been a 3-4 year old immigrant to Canada :) I love hockey and most things about Canada and would love to visit someday. My fav band is the Barenaked Ladies and my fav NHL team are the Sens. Sorry it’s taken up such a big post to explain this out.
One more thing - when I got into blogs & reading other people’s blogs, I targeted Canadian ones and so….
That was a lovely poem. Thanks so much for sharing.