Back & Forth

Black ravens rise beside the road –
A stark contrast against the snow,
Pristine white where the angels trode;
They pause, then boundingly, they go.
There! In the brush! Ahead of me!
Beside the road: a herd of deer.
Pausing – then, hesitatingly
They come as though they feel no fear
And begin crossing nonchalantly,
Stepping lightly, walking, single file,
So sure of their fleeting safety;
As for me? I can't help but smile
As I put the car back in gear
And drive on down this Prairie Road,
In my head, visions of wild deer
Crossing where white angels have trode …
Prespatou, BC 2015 on the usual Saturday drive 82 km South to get groceries in FSJ Probably penned in the little Pizza Restaurant in FSJ

About This Poem

Last Few Words: FSJ = Fort St John, a town in Northwestern British Columbia. A kilometre is about 0.6 miles. I was teaching (and living) in a place called Prespatou, a Mennonite Community, 82 km North of the nearest town (FSJ). Prespatou would not even qualify as a hamlet. It consisted of the school (K to 12) with three mobile homes subdivided, each into two units, making six in all, for teachers to live in. There were two Mennonite churches, one in German, one in English, an Old Folks Home (these were past the General Store/Post Office/Gas Station/Cafe that was about a mile and half down the road). Every Saturday was a trip south to FSJ for grocery shopping and other things. It was on the Prairies, so farming country and mostly flat or slightly undulating except where traversed by small rivers. The main road to Prespatou was paved from the highway, but preferred a short cut which took me through The Tullies. This poem was posted because I want to post Back And Forth Second Look.

Style/Type: Structured: Western

Review Request Direction: [This option has been removed]

Review Request Intensity: I appreciate moderate constructive criticism

Editing Stage: Not actively editing

About the Author

Region, Country: British Columbia, Canada, CAN

Favorite Poets: I like the first world war poets. Robert Service. Poe had some fab poems. Shakespeare's sonnets (Including the ones embedded in his romantic plays). Blake. I am more inclined to like particular poems (such as Poe's "The Raven" and "The Bells" or Ginsberg's "Howl". Not a big fan of Bobbie Dylan and don't think he should have won a Nobel Prize. (Len Cohen was a better poet if you ask me.) I quite like Hope Sandoval's "lyrics". I love Sappho and Tekahionwake (aka E Pauline Johnson). First discovered Sappho about ten years ago. First got turned onto E Pauline Johnson in 1981 when I found a book of her poems in a used bookshop. I now have first editions (1913) of Flint and Feathers (collected poems), Legends of Vancouver and her collection of short stories for boys. Her poem, "The Cattle Thief" says it all about how Canada has treated the Aboriginal inhabitants of this country. The Lost Generation Poets and Edgar Allen Poe were probably my biggest influences, . I do quite like e e cummings though. Can't imagine anyone being able to write like him without looking like a copycat.

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