Moon-mound snow,
slalom race;
chill bright plumes
frost your face.
Talon-sharp
runners grip;
twin tracks bite
hill’s white lip.
Copyright © 2011 Steven Withrow. From the book Gift Tag. Pomelo Books. Reprinted by permission of the author.
This poem is written in an Irish verse form—Cethramtu Rannaigechta Moire—that lends itself to distilled beauty.
Syllables: 3(1) 3(1) 3(1) 3(1)
End rhymes: A B C B
The form was suggested to me by J. Patrick Lewis. My gratitude to Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong for publishing the poem in their Gift Tag e-anthology.
Steven Withrow is a poet, storyteller, and author of six books for visual artists including Illustrating Children’s Picture Books. In 2010, he co-produced the film Library of the Early Mind: A grownup view of children’s literature. In 2011, he founded Poetry Advocates for Children & Young Adults. His poems for children and adults have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies worldwide. He lives with his wife, daughter, and cat in Rhode Island. See more about Steven and his work at www.cracklesofspeech.blogspot.com.