Janice Sandeen and the sometimes perhaps — Your next stop on the blog tour

I'm on vaca. Back from a full and relaxing week on "the ridge," a rural, forested area north of Nevada City, California. We swam in the Yuba river nearly every day. A poem about that below. And in two days we head south to see family in So. Cal. But

I'm happy to take a minute to link onward to Janice Sandeen. Janice is one of my favorite contemporary thinkers, collaborators, and artists.

What I love about her blog tour post is the perspective she brings to the creative process. She is someone for whom art is simply a process of allowing. As a creative and caring lens for inspirations beyond her own ken or control, Janice simply and willingly channels. I have always admired how natural her process seems, whether pouring with passion or soaring with cognition, it always simply comes as it is through her open expression.

Check out her philosophical, introspective and, in my opinion, stunning take on blog touring, writing, poetry, photography, art and living as an artist.

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and now my poem called

“You, Yuba”

I love you, I realize. White and black
heat radiates from your composite. You
hold me, your cradleshape, your rock patience.
You barely pause in your molten doing
and undoing as I curl in and take

today’s sun and eons of sun into
my skinned body. I’m quick as a pine tree,
significant as the damselflies who
light here and also love you. The valley
fills with shade. I love you enough to break

apart on the truth you’ll never leave me.
I surrender so your notice doesn’t
matter. I’m one of your temporary
lovers, drinking your intense heat. I’m one
of your temporary forms. You are, too.

I’ve come to close my eyes and suck the scent
of stone washed, dried and cut infinite times.