Janine Roberts
lives on Leverett Pond and poems in her chapbook, The Body Alters are inspired by the intrigue of water, sky, and fauna in central Leverett. As well she writes about her body's journey with cancer, family sagas, and time in other cultures. She is a family therapist and author of several books on ritual and family stories. Professor Emerita at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, she has lived, worked, and traveled in over sixty different countries, beginning with Kuwait in 1963. Janine was also the instigator for the Leverett Trails Poetry project which now has some 130 poems by townspeople from ages 5 to 85 in 8 poetry boxes. Google Leverett poetry boxes for more information, a map of their locations, and put one of your poems in them!
Slate Roof Press:
www.slateroofpress.com/Roberts.html
Marathons
I
Flare of osprey wings
over the pond
cannot lift the grief.
Nor the chortle of baby otters,
tempoed murmur of wood frogs,
insistent peeper cries –
or cricks of the American Toad
like those metal whirl-a-gigs
we whorled as we ran barefoot.
Innocence of earlier times?
No. Bombs on Nagasaki,
Hiroshima – arsenals stockpiled.
My mother – 95 – despairing.
I was a peacenik.
What good did it do?
II
People stand in remembrance
like monuments
at the London marathon.
Palestinians plan their 1st
in the West Bank, a race
for right to movement.
The waxing moon outlines
trees against night sky –
here and around the earth.
People watch, hard pressed
to sleep – to dream –
to hope.
In Leverett, tiny spring
leaves catch and sheen
filigrees of silver light.
Janine Roberts - April 2013 Read at the opening of Town Meeting and all were invited to put their poems in one of the 8 poetry boxes up in Leverett. Google: Leverett poetry boxes to get more information including a map of the locations.