Still, now; the torn tin-wrapped
two-story structure stands:
two-story structure stands:
Towards a century ago; its tired timber
and stone-age material met
and stone-age material met
To hold each other unconditionally;
To vanquish Kikiktagruk’s seasons.
Legendary: a hunting-guide, a
bush-pilot, a man;
bush-pilot, a man;
Family spent and shared time and more
time.
time.
Liquor and grub given to many at
“Marie’s”:
“Marie’s”:
Before the hunt; Roy Rogers ate,
Hunger found Hank Williams Jr.,
Then Mr. Lincoln bagged the record bear:
polar.
polar.
Floors plywood; careful were the feet of
children.
children.
Covered by linoleum; stairs steep, it
changed.
changed.
Generations abandon their native
hallways,
hallways,
Sheltering memories of lives; so many,
We were raised by those rooms.
Upstairs at the front-room windows we all sat as children,
No matter the day, no matter the Sun.
None of us are around to cherish the
crashing shores’ whispers anymore,
crashing shores’ whispers anymore,
Every one of us left;
All of us, but one.
She’s with her home; they grow old
alone,
alone,
Boxes and boxes; packed and stacked high.
It’s almost deserted: haunting; she’s
fervid,
fervid,
I wish we all hadn’t left you..Mother of
mine.
mine.
Stephen D. Bolen is an aspiring
poet from Kotzebue, Alaska. He is half Inupiaq Eskimo and was
raised in the north. He is currently pursuing a triple-major in English,
Psychology, and Philosophy at the University of Alaska, Anchorage; he
works full-time in construction as well. Stephen enjoys spending all the
time he can at home with his young daughter Sonnet.
Would you like to see your work published here? Check out our Alaska Shorts guidelines and submit today!
poet from Kotzebue, Alaska. He is half Inupiaq Eskimo and was
raised in the north. He is currently pursuing a triple-major in English,
Psychology, and Philosophy at the University of Alaska, Anchorage; he
works full-time in construction as well. Stephen enjoys spending all the
time he can at home with his young daughter Sonnet.
Would you like to see your work published here? Check out our Alaska Shorts guidelines and submit today!
What a perfect name for a daughter. What a tender poem.
Thank you.
Wonderful!
This is such an awesome poem, Stephen! Great job.
Stephen, great to see this here, nice work. I was in Kotzebue recently and was wondering how you're doing.