Leith Ross sings Grief (Folk Fest '22 poem #3)

Hannah was 

twenty-two 

someone who loved 

red rose love touching 

so many 

and we sit in the heat 

of her loss 

and her mother’s agony 

while Leith sings 

strawberry sweet voice 

settling on souls 

about 

twenty-two

what is grief at that age 

yet we receive 

this gift as balm 

as soothing cool shade 

as tears roll down

Judy Collins sings Both Sides Now (Folk Fest '22 poem #2)

silver iridescent warmth seems 

to spread out from her dress as 

she begins to strum twelve string and sing

rows and flows of angel hair 

phrasing at 83 impeccable 

tuning perfect and 

I hear with my heart tuned 

this is what we’ve missed 

singer warming hearts 

with silvery  

voice and 

a song that doesn’t get old

Ocie Elliot (Folk Fest '22 poem #1)

snow slowly drifts from poplars 

at big bluestem 

and I’m alone in the throng hearing you for the first time 

so gentle 

so in tune 

so summer snow 

so almost not there 

and yet powerfully present with each other 

and the grass and sky and poplar snow

sing summer songs of love

love letter

I fold into you 

nights while you breathe 

and I 

sleepless 

cross the expanse of sheets 

drawn to your toast warmth 

your spine exposed to me 

I fold into you 

days your window voice

like peachy fizz 

on my tongue 

and I cling to your orbit using your eyes 

as a mnemonic of love 

I fold into you 

in memories of journeys past 

our lives so together knit 

like two candles melted wax overflowing 

I slink with a smudge into this 

messy family album 

I fold into you 

to fend the future bog 

of age and weariness 

broadside after broadside 

until oblivion takes us 

I fold into you 

unconsciously

like a sleep walker 

who has learned where the story ends 

and life begins