Field Notes: Poetry Inspired by Nature
The Path The path around the meadow rewards close attention: the wee rosettes
of the Catalina Island live-forever, tiny yellow blooms of the saffron
buckwheat, and the noiseless ringing
of the inconspicuous canyon coral bells. One experience links to the next:
fingertips that stroke the thready texture of the juniper’s bark are soon pricked by the needle point leaf-tips
of Our Lord’s Candle. And scooped
from the ground, the tough little leaves
of the leather oak rustle in one’s palm. Summer red berries of the summer-holly, pale green leaves of the white sage. Even poison oak is allowed to thrive here where everything depends (Photo/Andrea Russell Photography)
on everything else. Stand at the southern
B
Don’t those California poppies dotting
ringing his love of poetry and the natural world together exclusively for Ironwood, we’re proud to introduce and partner with David Starkey, former SB Poet Laureate and the Founding Director of SBCC’s Creative Writing Program. Curating new work in each issue, we’ll work with David to offer live readings in The Garden in the coming months. For more information, watch for announcements at sbbg.org O
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edge, gazing toward the mountains. the meadow look like flecks of gold
scattered in a Sierra stream? If you could, wouldn’t you bend down and gather them? –David Starkey
Ironwood
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