Enga mellom fjella

Lesson by the fire

Lesson by the fire

         for Jim and Marlene Gütsch

Flames go up the chimney,
coat the walls with creosote.
Embers glow, Jim's winter warmth,
orange and yellow flickers

hid by Marlene's butt.

She basks in tree-light,
logs that warm Jim's toes, his wife,
that burn past death,
giving heat and life.

She hugs the flames
moves in closer,
moves away,
as Jim once more can see the fire,
hold his flame, his heart's desire:
Marlene.

© 2007 Kåre Enga [164.448] 2007-12-30

ANSWER TO AN EMAIL:

kdewees wrote:

Having read one sample of your work are you multi-faceted or is poetry the only form
you've used?

eager

I responded:

I mostly write short sketches in a 3 x 5 inch memo pad. Therefore, most of my stuff is short. Even my short stories, flash fiction, prose-poems tend to be on the lyrical side. I write more 'poetry' than anything else. However ... my poetry does go all over the landscape from forms like tritinas and blues to rants and silly quatrains for/inspired by children. I'm eclectic!

Thanks for your question.

I'll put this in my blog as others have surely wondered from time to time also.

Peace, Kåre.

ME:

Slept in. Been reading Sarah Paretsky's "Guardian Angel".

Last night I had cottage cheese with cherries. At Jim and Marlene's, I had cottage cheese with bananas with chocolate syrup. Marlene eats it without the syrup. I ate good there. Even had fresh-ground millet cereal and cooked rye! If I had stayed there much longer, I'd probably feel healthier and even lose weight.

They are a wonderful couple. Married 46 years (she chased him). A mixed marriage out in the Flint hills as the Swedish Lutheran-Methodists in Burdick traveled the 20 miles to the Czech Catholic church in Pilsen!

This even includes a picture of the church! http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/pilsen.html

WEATHER:

Ain't it fun? Snow in Florida. Floods and more snow forecast for California. By Saturday it could be 60º here. Our cold snap was bitter but short-lived. Lots of birds haven't traveled as far south as they usually do. In Emporia, there were redbirds (cardinals) and grey and white birds in the hedge (osage orange). Swear I saw guinea fowl or turkey in the fields along I-335 on the way home. Definately saw bison.

Kansas: 35º and bright sunshine moderating after a very cold night.

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