THE CLAM DIGGER by Natalie Lobe

I come at the ebb tide with my bucket,
my feet, patience, resolve and a tube
of sun block 45. Even if it fogs, I know
those rays will slither through.

I walk into the water, slowly
so that each foot has a chance
to learn the terrain: seaweed, crabs
snails, sharp shells in soft sand.
When I'm knee deep I pivot, one heel
then the other, make an arc with my toes.
A lame turtle moves with more grace.

I feel a something rubbing against my toe,
reach down for the prize, only my head
above water. If it's a real chowder bound
clam, say the size of a fifty cent piece,
I plop it in my bucket, take a breath
for success and shuffle on in rhythm
with the soundless marsh.

If it's a dud, a shell full of sand, not clam
I toss it back, have a chuckle and remember
how the poet gropes for a single word,
lying somewhere in Oxford's morass.


ABOUT NATALIE LOBE

Natalie Lobe has two published collections: Connected Voices, 2006 and Island Time, 2008, both by March Street Press. Her poems have appeared in George Washington Literary Review, Ekphrasis, Blue Unicorn and others. This fall, she will be published in Comstock Review and Iconoclast. Natalie is a Poet in the Schools both with the Maryland State Arts Council and the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County. In addition, she teaches poetry and writing workshops at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis and other area venues. Natalie is Education Chair of the Annapolis Arts Alliance, a support group for artists of every discipline and serves on the Hillsmere Board of Directors. She is delighted that her grandson, Nathan, is the photographer for Island Time.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR NATALIE LOBE

1. What was the experience that prompted the writing of "The Clam Digger"?

Clamming has been one of our favorite summertime activities for dozens of years. We've done it in Connecticut, Cape Cod and Block Island but Block Island is the best. Water is so shallow at low tide you don't have to put your head in. The several dedicated clam diggers in our family see to it that we have a vacation filled with delicious steamed clams and chowder.

2. From the poem, I deduce that you equate clam digging to poem writing. Can you elaborate more on other parallels you make in "The Clam Digger"?

I equate many of my life's endeavors with writing poetry. Anything that requires patience, persistence and an absolute need to do it.

3. How long have you been a poet and what are your trigger points when it comes to writing poetry? Do you have any poet, contemporary or not, who has been an inspiration to your writing?

I've been writing poetry, seriously for about 20 years. Earlier efforts were as a child and later on rhyming birthday greetings for friends and family. Almost anything can inspire me.

I'm inspired by lots of poets - always have been. Wordsworth as a child, E.E. Cummings and Robert Frost in College. Now I take to Whitman and the contemporaries, Mary Oliver, Linda Pastan or W.C. Merwin.

4. Tell us more about the Wine Glass Court Poets of Columbia, Maryland. What are the goals and objectives of this group? Do you have any project for the community?

The Wineglass Court Poets are an outgrowth of a poetry reading sponsored by HoCoPoLitSo in 1992. Some of us who had been selected to read decided to get together as a critique group. We met at my former residence on Wineglass Court in Columbia. We have been going ever since with, of course, several changes in venue and much turn over in members. I'm the only original now. Our group is open to any serious poet. Since May 2007, we have been meeting at Howard Community College under the sponsorship of HoCoPoLitSo, our raison d'etre. Once a year we have a poetry reading . We are exploring other community endeavors.


5. Do you have any published works? If so, tell us how to get hold of them. Kindly let our readers know if you have any public readings scheduled. In conclusion, can you tell us about your impressions about the poetry of the 21st century.

I have two published collections and a great many poems in individual magazines. My first collection, Connected Voices, came out in late 2006; the second, Island Time, was published in 2008. Both can be purchased from me, natalielobe@verizon.net ., from March Street Press, 3413 Wilshire, Greensboro, NC and Hard Bean Cafe and BookStores in Annapolis. "Connected Voices" can be purchased at Amazon.com.

Poetry in the 21st century is a bit of a mixed bag I think, but I love it. I see some return to accesssibility and more formal structure but more open, flexible and emotional than in the old days.

Copyright for this poem solely belongs to the poet. No public use of poem without explicit permission from poet.

Nature by Prince Mensah

I am caught up in magic of green

Vast space, a beauty never seen

Before by eyes trained for block and asphalt,

As if lack of adventure was not my fault.

My heart is at peace in these skyscrapers,

Trees, I mean, tall with purpose

Of shade and silence as sunshine tries

To make contact with my eyes.

So I touch each tree trunk like a little boy

Filled with whatever fantasy can employ.

I do not want to go back to where I live,

This place holds the truth in which I believe.

I am lost in places where I am at peace

But night falls on a man on his knees.

ABOUT PRINCE MENSAH
Prince Mensah is a member of the Wine Glass Court Poetry Group. He is a resident of Columbia, MD and has been a poet since the age of seven. He is originally from Ghana, West Africa and has had his works published in One Ghana, One Voice Journal, Munyori Journal, UNESCO's Other Voices International Project, Dublin Writer's Workshop and the Owl of Adisadel College. 'Nature' is from an soon-to-be published anthology called 'Via Dolorosa'

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR PRINCE MENSAH

1. What inspired you to write 'Nature'?

I was walking through a column of trees in Centennial Park, Columbia, MD when the thought to write this poem struck me. I realized how much peace I found in nature more than every other thing that I thought would give me peace.

2. How do you find the perfect words to illustrate your state of mind?

Before I sit to write a poem, I tend to create phrases that buttress my ideas. I manage to inculcate them into the poem, in order to satisfy both peripheral and emphereal truths in the scenes being described.

3. Is there any hidden meaning in the poem?

I dislike leading people to conclusions. A poem is like a jar in a circle of artists. Each artist would draw a unique portrait of the jar. So I intend not to poison the purity of perspective.

4. What is your opinion about the state of poetry?

Poets have to use technology to advance their art. I think playwrights and novelists are far ahead when it comes to that. Poets must channel their work through the Internet, because a web presence translates into a ready readership that would support one's writing by purchasing books of poetry. To me, the state of today's poetry is like a person dying of thirst by the banks of a river. There is no use to be a struggling writer in this information age.

5. Can you tell us about how Wine Glass Court Poets has impacted your writing?

My colleagues at Wine Glass are brutal with the truth and that makes me extremely conscious of lazy words. This group has sharpened my output and outlook as a poet. I think it is only a matter of time before the literary world realizes this hub of great poets.