Alps

Alps

         for John Lee, scholar of Geology

She's entered his orogenous zone,
her Adriatic substrate still subducting
to his European overthrust,
his upright crust, his Matterhorn,
vulnerability she dares to climb,
to conquer, hang her life on.
In this, their place, where mantle
trembles with a touch
from movement one above the other,
zones of bend and thrust
where they've created havens for her clouds,
and crystal waters for his snow-fed lakes,
where children shout from peak to peak
and in her fertile valleys sow Spring wheat.
May this, their legacy, be reaped
where rock grinds rock above their inner heat.


© Kåre Enga 2007 [164.20] April 2007

Edited to he/she and other minor edits on April 17, 2008. In previous you/I pronouns:

Alps

         for JL, scholar of Geology

You've entered my orogenous zone,
your Adriatic substrate still subducting
to my European overthrust,
my upright crust, my Matterhorn,
my vulnerability you wish to climb,
to conquer, hang your life on.
In this, our place, where mantle
trembles with a touch
from movement one above the other,
zones of bend and thrust
where we've created havens for the clouds,
and crystal waters for the snow-fed lakes,
here children shout from peak to peak
and in your fertile valleys sow Spring wheat.
May this, our legacy seek sleep
where rock grinds rock above our inner heat.

© Kåre Enga

Author's notes to self. [164.20] April 2007; link to orogeny: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orogeny
re Apulian or Adriatic plate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apulian_plate
Original in blog "L'aura del Campo"  entry "Alps. Submitting (sending your babies to slaughter)" .