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Cascadian Poetry

Bookmark and Share            By Lou

When things get too scrappy around here I like to divert. Art can take the spirit to higher places — both in a physical and mystical sense. While digging around yesterday I found Jason Hummel’s (AKA Cascade Poet) poetry website. This poem by Jason took me on a direct path out of the office to the top of a mountain. Check it out.

Colorado backcountry skiing.
Tasting the alpine.

An Alpine State of Mind
by Cascade Poet

Put me in cold air in high places
Wrap me in fog mixed with alien faces
Pour me into swamp
Chilled
Shiver these alp trees that huddle
From brush of wind
That drinks
Such moisture filling needles that
Drip
Drip
Drip
onto grass whose green sprouts
spring from their seeds
and bring to life
the meadow
of colors that cloud the alpine slopes
with rainbows of life
whose flowers slumber all year
for the day the sun shines
and warms the rocks like bones
and awakens
the
spring
in this place
so warm with life
shivering in the cold

(Published here by permission)

Posted by Lou on July 29, 2008 | Filed Under Mountain Culture 

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Comments

5 Responses to “Cascadian Poetry”

  1. Dave Field July 29th, 2008 12:25 pm

    Nice poem! full of imagery and evocative of the high maountains.
    Is that Mt. Hooker in the background of your photo? What a great place to share the alpine with your son.

  2. Lou July 29th, 2008 1:21 pm

    Dave, that’s Lightning Rod and Thunderbolt, up by Tigger lake, on the Res, Winds. A few years ago. Thanks to Jason I just visited for a few moments. Back home now.

  3. Steamboat July 31st, 2008 4:04 pm

    I’m on my way out the door to play! Thanks for the inspiration.

    PowderLover

  4. Jason Hummel August 1st, 2008 4:53 pm

    Glad a few enjoyed the ahhhhh sensitive side of a ski mountaineer ;-)

    Ha.

    It’s good some found escape, which is why when you asked to post, Lou I thought, “What the hell”!

    It’s not like I can hide my dorky-nose-in-a-book self forever. Well, you never know, since this is a colorado blog ;-) Ahhh, maybe I’m safe.

  5. Lou August 1st, 2008 5:22 pm

    Yeah, perhaps my bias will protect you!

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Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information and opinion website. Lou's passion for the past forty years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about backcountry skiing and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the Fourteeners! Books and free back country information here, and tons of Randonnee rando telemark info.

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