I met Sue Scalf a few years back at the Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts in Rabun Gap, Georgia. A resident of Alabama, Sue carried herself with the combination of flair and intelligence that I admire in so many Southern women. She carried her poems pretty well, too, and I've come to admire her work very much. Her new collection, BEARING THE PRINT, is out from Negative Capability Press. I plan to share some of the poems from this book with you over the next few weeks.
Here is "August Morning":
The dark pond ripples with light.
Sunflowers, listening, turn.
The ""om" of morning sun slants
across the fields. Wet grass ignites.
The orchard is brimming with fire
as if night had never been,
except for a shofar moon
left behind with its pale song,
blowing the faithful to wake and live,
dead bones to rise.
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This is a poem I will carry far beyond this August morning.
3 comments:
I know Sue personally.In fact,she is a cousin of mine. She certainly has the ability to transport her reader into the very essence of her poetry. She somehow,is able,not only visually but,{I know with me,since I grew up in same locality as she,this actually happens}but makes even the aroma's,and or scents of those bygone days come back. She is so very gifted. Jessie Morganndm
Thank you, Jessie. Sue must have been a great cousin to have. I wish I'd known her when I was growing up in SW Georgia.
Hi Kathryn,
I found this post during a google search for Sue Scalf. I came across an early volume of her poetry, Devil's Wine, at my local library here in Albertville, Alabama, and was favorable impressed. I'm wondering which of her more recent volumes you would recommend as a library purchase. I feel our library should definitely have something more recent by her.
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