Christmas Special: Juliet Wilson
A couple of days ago, I sent a call out on twitter for Christmassy poems or flash fiction, so that I could feature a piece on Sabotage on this special day. Many entries were sent, and I had to make the difficult decision to choose just one. In the end Juliet Wilson’s poem ‘Mythology of Flight’ won out and I think you’ll find it suitably festive! However, I can’t resist including also a runner up for all of us bah humbug sorts, a haiku by Ray Scanlon:
Outdoor speakers blare
Drummer Boy once too often–
where’s my bazooka?
Juliet Wilson has reviewed for us a fair bit in the past, with a particular focus on environmental magazines, you can read them all here. Her second chapbook of poetry, Unthinkable Skies was published in 2010 by Calder Wood Press. She blogs here. Enjoy!
Snow covered fields.
Reindeer dig for lichen,
their breath rising like steam.The ancient ones told stories
of flying with an old man,
of many roofs in foreign lands,
of boxes, brightly wrapped.
The herd eats steadily,
heads down,
ears alert in the solemn matter
of survival.
In the distance –
a faint red glow,
the sound of sleigh bells
—Juliet Wilson
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Juliet is one of my favourite poets. This is such a good example of her work. I really like the final stanza. It captures the magical sense of anticipation that often defines Christmas!