A Poem by Kristi Ellis Witt
How I Slice It
The pears on my counter are blushing, ripening. Picking one up, I imagine their journey and all the hands that cradled them before they made their way here
How I Slice It
The pears on my counter are blushing, ripening. Picking one up, I imagine their journey and all the hands that cradled them before they made their way here
Our first child was on the way, and I was seven and a half months pregnant when we married in our home on the lake. Instead of the “perfect wedding,” we chose each other. What made our wedding day most beautiful was the peaceful feeling nature gave us. Each of the many new, unexpected things that unfolded felt like a small gift we hadn’t asked for.
Moonrise, Return
You are Sunrise.
Dawn whispering
Against windowshades,
Brushing night from the sky,
Singing Through the End
When two dead languages can meet, they sing. They find, describe, all that’s sweet. They sing. Let’s offer them our lungs, complete the choir.
The Worth of an Ordinary Life
Today we chase a life that seems great
and fear that our own lives are falling behind. We measure ourselves by the lives of others and forget the quiet joy within our own.
The upland terrestrial ecosystem surrounding Clear Lake is a complex interplay of mountains, soils, and diverse wildlife, all shaped by historical flooding and human intervention. As western settlers altered the landscape, the delicate balance of this ecosystem was disrupted, leading to the decline of native species like the threatened “Clear Lake Hitch.” Today, the challenge lies in restoring wetlands and mitigating sedimentation from upland activities, particularly from Off-Road Vehicle use. Discover how a community of agencies, tribes, and the public can come together to protect and rejuvenate this vital ecosystem, ensuring Clear Lake can be clear and vibrant once more.
Studies have shown that the loss of wetlands around Clear Lake has led to increased phosphorus levels, fueling harmful cyanobacteria blooms. Despite a landmark report in 1994 highlighting the need for restoration, progress has been slow, with significant delays and funding challenges. The lake’s ecosystem is now at risk, and innovative solutions are needed. From breaching levees to restore seasonal wetlands to introducing lanthanum slurry to combat phosphorus, there are potential paths forward. Discover the urgent need for action and the strategies that could help revive Clear Lake’s health in this compelling exploration of environmental restoration.
The days are getting longer, and sunlight will soon penetrate Clear Lake, sparking a cycle of life that supports diverse wildlife. However, when nutrient pollution leads to cyanobacteria blooms, the balance is disrupted, resulting in fish kills and unpleasant odors. This article explores the delicate interplay between algae, oxygen levels, and the health of aquatic ecosystems. Discover how innovative strategies, including lanthanum treatments, aim to combat these blooms and restore the lake’s vitality. Join us as we delve into the challenges and solutions for revitalizing Clear Lake and ensuring a thriving environment for future generations.
On this 4th of July, as I sat by Clear Lake, the vibrant fireworks were overshadowed by the unsettling sight of cyanobacteria-painted green water and the stench of decaying fish. This annual phenomenon, while not unusual for nutrient-rich lakes, highlights a pressing issue: the delicate balance of three ecosystems—lake, wetland, and upland—has been compromised. With decades of research revealing the causes, the question remains: can we fix this? Join me as we explore the challenges and potential solutions to restore Clear Lake to its former glory in this compelling four-part series.
I want to start by apologizing for a gig last Saturday that never happened. My band, AudioSoul, was scheduled to play Loch Lomond Roadhouse, but when I got there to start setting up the P.A., I was told the gig was canceled. Well, nobody told us. So, I will continue listing LLR shows but will add that you might want to call before making the drive. That goes for the musicians scheduled to play there. Anyhoo… the weather is going into a cooling pattern, if one can agree that low 80s to 90s is cooling. Either way, here’s the live music schedule for the week of 8/11 through 8/18…
What Is Joy but Small Kindnesses
I panic-rush with my package from my car to the door only to find that while it’s already 5 o’clock, it’s unlocked.
Chase Me
Chase me into the clouds of sunset
Walk with me into the sky
Shadows Of Moonset
In the shadows of the moonset
When the stars have not yet
Winked themselves to sleep,
In the deep of the pre-dew dawn
While the fairies still dance on toadstools
And coyotes cackle on ridgelines
I walk into depths of pine.
“So when are you coming home?” Her voice sounds a bit more anxious than before. Arthur leans forward towards his arm, straddling the top of the phone in the booth. His brow glistens from the non-existent breeze in this self-made cave of glass. He pulls the booth door close even though no one else is there to listen, and even though New Mexico’s temperature is still in the triple digits. He can think better this way.
Arthur sighs a reply, “I don’t know, ma.”
Unexpected Intrusions
The driver behind me slams
on their horn—tires screech.
Cars on either side of us aren’t moving.
Waxing
The waxing moon
Spreads her halo
To the treeline
Encircling the evening star
Love and Dishes
When you come home to a sink full of dishes,
you do them extra loud. You’re right.
May Drizzle
Raindrops take seven
seconds to disappear
into the concrete,
Rest
Eyes heavy with the day to day to day to day
Time to lower the blinds and hang the sign
With my dad behind the wheel of the U-Haul and my ‘95 Celica in tow, we headed east for that 1,800-mile trip. One way, for me.
Moonrise, Return
You are Sunrise.
Dawn whispering
Against windowshades,
Brushing night from the sky,
Take Your Wow With You
Otherwise, you might miss the tiny rainbows
bouncing off the dew drops when the morning
Wet
It’s astonishing, the slipperiness
Of spirit, how August afternoons
Become January mornings
Clouded so thickly a foot could be a mile,
Metamorphosis
after “The Addiction Bird” by Agnes Hanying Ong
We march.
In our black suits draped
in black trenchcoats huddled
under black umbrellas, we climb
toward the sky. In the stormy streaks
of twilight, we ascend the mountain.
Our bootsteps create a heartbeat rhythm
that reverberates through the layers
of metamorphic rock.
February 10th
A good poem doesn’t need to rhyme.
It writes itself quietly and easily
Like the present tense of place, time
And immediacy, for each word allows
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