Magical Places and Marvelous Creatures

Sometimes a postcard message is as much inspired by the image on the postcard as a message to another person. I sent this postcard and message below some time in April of 2009 from my home in Fairbanks, Alaska, to Suyhou City, P.R. China. Jinlin was the user name (no longer used) of a postcarder acquaintance met through Postcrossing, an online international postcard exchange project. At 150 words, this was a relatively long message for the reverse half-side of this 4 by 6 inch postcard. A typical postcard message In English runs less than 100 words. I had to use my fountain pen with a fine nib to squeeze all the words in. I consider my message to Jinlin an ekphrasis -- a fancy Greek word that means art inspired by art, typically poems (in this case a prose-poem) based on a work of visual art.  

Sandhill Crane in flight. Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge,

Fairbanks, Alaska. Photo by Ted Swem. Alaska Bird Observatory:

 www.alaskabird.org.

To Jinlin in Suzhou,
Suyhou City must be incredible. How lucky for us who live in magical places. I imagine floating the canals, wandering the expansive gardens, strolling past the new museum, pondering how much blood and sweat civilization requires to flower. I hope you enjoy this Sandhill Crane postcard. After the long, bleak and bitter cold days of winter, our heads tilt and ears open as flowers for the sun hungry for spring light. These magnificent birds, with their sweeping wing span and prehistoric call --- more a guttural crank ---, ride on lofty winds, some, all the way from Mexico. They give us pause to ponder what is elemental, what is winged, what is astonishing, what is simultaneously primitive and modern yet natural and supernatural in every creature.
I pray many blessings for you and your young son, Kris

Thinking of Spring

Though it will take some time to disappear, the ice and snow began melting today. I bought this card, post marked in 1908, last November at an antique shop in town. I was intrigued by its symbolism. The verse on the card is attributed to a "Mitchell. " I found this poet difficult to track down. Plus I'm having trouble with my eyes again and can't look at the monitor for more than half an hour at a time, so my research efforts were at best limited. If anyone knows or can track down this poet, I would appreciate it if you let me know.

This is the verse on the card:

But soon the icy mass shall melt:

the winter end his reign,

The sun's reviving warmth be felt,

And nature smile again. --Mitchell

The four lines seem to limit the image of this post card, which seems to be an image of the personification of spring. No doubt, a beauty, she huddles by an earthly fire. She peers at the birds, which seem to be gleaning crumbs from what could be the last of her winter stored grain. One foot is exposed to the elements, testing the air. The other is tucked into her scarlet dress for warmth. Alas, it is still winter and she will not yet dance.

I thought this image would make a transition from flowers to crucifixion, which will be my theme for April.