68° and Sunny
Image
"Barely Hanging On," acrylic by Jess O'Connor
Editor’s Note: Area writers were invited to submit poetry and/or prose to Studio B Art Gallery’s summer project “The Three Bears.” Writers were challenged to respond to the meanings of the words “bear” and “bare,” the Bear Fever sculptures or an aspect or theme from the fairy tale “Goldilocks & the Three Bears.” Their poetry and prose responses will be published in coming weeks in The Boyertown Area Expression digital news site (boyertownareaexpression.town.news). We hope you will enjoy the wide-ranging responses to the challenging theme.
Becoming Bear
by Carole Croll*
Blithe and unbounded, Bear romped
with Forest. For three seasons
she ambled effortlessly through the trees,
climbed with speed and agility,
devoured fruits and nuts with ferocity
and pleasure, feared nothing and bowed
to no one. Three seasons strong, Sun rose
high and long, fostered growth, shed warmth,
a peerless and sustaining patriarch—until
North mobilized to challenge the supremacy.
North called upon Wind and engaged
his formidable legions, conscripted Water,
armed her with ice, turned Sky cold and heavy,
too heavy for Sun’s high climb, and compelled
Forest to compromise with the advance of Winter,
shed her leaves, surrender. Bear accepted
this new season with wisdom, sought out the shelter
of Earth Mother, wrapped herself in generous
and expansive solitude, slowed her breath, minimized
her heartbeat, magnified the silence, accelerated
dreamtime. She will be whole again when she emerges.
Bold. Bright-eyed. Arresting.
* Carole Croll is a former elementary ELL (English Language Learner) teacher. She grew up in Schwenksville and has recently returned to the area after spending the previous twenty-four years living in Chicagoland. The Midwest was a difficult transition for someone who loves hills and trees, but in response to many long and solitary walks, she discovered the wonder of the prairie and the bliss of creating poetry about it. Her devotion to the art and craft of writing continues, and she remains inspired by the magnificence of the Pennsylvania landscape and the beautiful complexity of the human heart.
More News from Boyertown
- "Save the Boyertown Pool" Offers an Update and Thanks to Volunteers Volunteers turn out to help clean up the Boyertown pool.
- BASH Alums Raise the Curtain on "Steve Burns Alive" Matt Freeman and Steve Burns, Boyertown Area Senior High alums bring the results of their writing collaboration to NYC audiences.
