Chris Olander Poetry: Inspiration from Nature
To the Earth
She is the weaver of mysterious fabrics spinning
rainbow threads from her crystal alignments
stitching images in her material’s maze.
Designing colors you have come to rely on
softening your private destiny’s intimate labors
the clarity brews from her sanctuary’s herbs.
She serves knowledge you will need
to nourish your blood’s consciousness
under apple trees’ leaves singing prophesies
She will answer all of your want of questions
and guide you safely through your shadows
to her secret tree’s wisdom singing gratitude.
She is the beautiful morning walk in the park’s
cool sunshine between the cloud freshets
the hug and surprise kiss in sunlight’s rain.
She moves through polished white boulders
in Yuba River’s granite gleaming corridors
morning’s light glazing cliff’s ridge rock–
arrowing through silver firs—sparkles her steps.
gathering spirits into her gratitude.
Her heart beats springs in the alder grove
necklaces cascading crystal rivulets
myriad waterfalls ribbon her garden’s
horsetails, cone flowers and tiger lilies.
Her sunlit maple leaves fall from limber
limbs etch glyphs in cliff’s granite gallery.
Blue jewels bedrock’s polished sculpture
in the rock’s deepest pools—her eyes glow
with Yuba Canyon’s Worship Pools’ Light.
Sacred arrows pierce the clear heart’s depth
awaken Love in its golden pools’ gratitude.
She speaks syllables of forest and mountain
braiding meanings with the river’s crystal
understands what a woman wants
The provider for the body’s knowledge
what you need to know to survive—thrive
in the idiosyncrasies of tyranny’s power.
She will guide you along the trail’s truth
of ancient ones who have passed this way
you do well to offer her gifts of the heart.
The earth’s bounty is in her open palms
it is the wealth providing your health
fulfilling want of a companion’s warmth
Her river forgives your deepest sorrows
her winter sun warms your lips for song
and her eyes give you the will to sing.
She places natural jewels in your palms
when you walk beside her glowing beauty
chaparral make way for her passing spirit.
She leads you along ripples of riparian meadows
to your destination that you have never realized
until suddenly she will hand you the gift of love.
The River
for LR
We have never been here before
exploring this trail to the river’s shore
discovering together what we find.
Following our path up river under firs
into headwaters of our elderly years
we search for our clear emerald pool
with sandy shore to lie upon–whisper
sweet every-things in each other’s ear.
Under willow, alder, black locust, grape
shading a sandy bower along the river’s
splashings–rippling into our shore line
we lay our bodies on cool, dry sand.
Listen to leaves murmur our secrets
sweet melodies over our naked bodies.
We have come here to discover our lives
together where we learn to love forever
from our river’s clear flowing current
through our hearts into our infinite sea.
This is the body’s knowledge left to us all
wading into our river’s sparkling jewelry
enlivening our bodies–opening our arms
for each other’s naked flesh awakening
surging currents through our bodies’ rivers
swirling in wild spring’s lovely embrace.
Star Particles
In Yosemite Valley—Sierra Nevada Light Range
we discover ourselves in its river’s granite womb:
myriad fingers etch prophetic murals over raw stone
images remind us who and what we are becoming
here our senses illumine our reverent re-creation.
Light arrows pierce forest shadows of black oak
cottonwood, pine, fir, cedar, aspen whispering
syllables nourishing language: nuanced phrasings:
such small events unnoticed in mind’s paradigms
calculating abstract formulas for beauty’s worth.
Unseen seeds sprout light from fertile soil
we are all evolving through endless seasons
following the trail down to the river’s Blessing
grasses swirling language’s life into our lungs
footsteps tattoo scripture across shore line sand
we come together entering light’s Baptism.
***
Given the chance “Being Here” we wade into light
smooth round stones gleam—electrifying our souls
coloring our galaxy’s minerals in precious pigments
riffles swirl light crystals round our body symmetry
light jewels deepen upstream timeless in its current.
Fingers cascade its light down harmonic corridors
structuring the sanctuary’s granite column cathedral
with our clothes removed we enter its light current
sunset’s gold gilds the clear cold light stream’s thrill
emerald pools enliven our journey’s eternal destiny.
Light awakens our changing nature in the immersion:
a communal existence in the congregation of species
we are all star particles of the indigenous river’s flesh
bright rubies salmon spawn in river’s blood stream
Blessing us in this river’s flow from a woman’s womb
starlight sparkling our ripples rippling us into night.
About the poet:
Chris Olander describes himself as “a sound poet exploring various meanings of words, phriasings and ideas arranged in sound and rhythm patterns.”
His poetic output since 1990’s have celebrated love, ecology, environmental, political, social and historical works, both narrative and lyrical poems, that explore what it is to be a human being. He often uses post-beat impressionism of social and ecological relationships from the turn of the century and beyond.
Olander is a poet, teacher and bio-educator with California Poets in the Schools. In 2019 he became Nevada County’s (CA) poet laureate. He blends performance techniques with spoken word to create an Action Art Poetry: musical image phrasing to dramatize relative experiences – a poetry arising from oral and bardic traditions.
Chris has written two books; River Light published by Poetic Matrix Press and Twilight Roses published by R. L. Crow Press; and four chapbooks (Sierra Streams, Mass Man’s Epiphanies, December Birds and Iris) and has recorded seven CDs of his poetry.