So not only did you teach me about writing memoir, you also taught me about reading and thinking about how others write memoir. Thank you so much! Rebecca

Accepting what is to come

You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Autumn at Yellowstone 2004

I often use prompts in my classes and one of the best prompts is a photograph. I have written a number of poems prompted by pictures of loved ones or photos of places.


Tonight I came upon some photos taken when we vacationed at Yellowstone National Park.

The photos reminded me of several poems I wrote about the bison roaming the prairie and the roads. I'll share one of them and three photos taken by my brother-in-law, Stu Moring.

Autumn at Yellowstone 2004

Is it the fire or maybe just September
that paints the park in shades of brown?
A herd of bold, shaggy bison crop
amber prairie grass waving below
rocky mountain peaks.
Do the small calves by their side face
certain death from winter’s blizzards?

I reach from my car window,
touch the sloughing coat of one
historic survivor marching like a tired soldier
down the highway’s center line.
In the distance hobbling on three legs,
no longer able to keep up ―
a potential dinner for wolves.


It was September and all was gold and brown

By at

4 comments:

  1. Brenda Kay LedfordMay 6, 2015 at 2:33 PM

    Glenda,
    I like this poem very much and the photos are lovely, too. This reminds me of the trip our family took to Yellowstone in 1990. You've done a great job capturing the beauty of Yellowstone.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glenda BeallMay 6, 2015 at 10:14 PM

    Thank you, Brenda Kay. It was a trip I'll always remember. We had such a great time out there and saw such interesting and beautiful things.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Joan M. HowardMay 10, 2015 at 2:25 PM

    Lovely poem and striking images!
    Joan Howard

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glenda BeallMay 10, 2015 at 3:13 PM

    Thank you, Joan, for commenting on this post. I appreciate my readers so much.

    ReplyDelete

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