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Three Stories

 

Hand made poetry book written and illustrated by Bert Weir

Published in 2001 by Joyful Loons Publishing, RR#1, S12, C45, Parry Sound, ON  P2A 2W7

22 pages, 5 graphite illustrations.

ISBN# 0-9688388-4-7

 
For 20 years Bert spent 10-12 hours a day hiking, canoeing, and painting in the bush around Parry Sound in his quest for a connection to and understanding of nature. “Three Stories” is a poem telling of 3 of his close-up experiences with wild creatures.

Excerpt from 'Three Stories'

The canoe
sits on black still
water

Cold damp
air
seems to stick
to the shore
to the trees
to my hands
holding the paddle

Draw
turn
return
turn
and draw again 

There is no sound
as I move into
dark shore shadows
The black
tree shapes
draw me into
their private
world
I listen
to the
silence
and slowly
melt into
myself 

  

The canoe
approaches
a low deep dark
shore hole
Time has left
Slow movement
The bow
disappears in shadow. 

A great noise
movement thrashing
water 

My whole being
freezes
The shadow
of loon
flopping  rolling
screaming
splashing
charging
almost
into the canoe
turns
flops away
still screaming

The canoe
seems to follow 

The loon
leads
away from

the shore
dances on
until we
have
left the nest far
behind
then she
sinks
into the
water
I sit
dead still
in the shadow
centre
aware of nothing

The
sharp whine
of
mosquitoes
slowly
draws my mind
back
to where I am
and the
night holds me
for a long
time 

I turn
and
paddle into
the moon’s white light

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