A Poem for the FLOD

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A Poem for the FLOD

Submitted by stevenl on Sat, 08/11/2007 - 9:11pm.

While sorting through my old books I ran across Home Town by Naia McClelland, a book of poems about the Olympia area published in 1969. One poem in particular caught my eye since it mentions the Fetid Lake of Doom (or, if you insist, "Capitol Lake") and makes references to that body of water in the past. Also, note the mention of Deschutes Parkway. It didn't exist when that area was an estuary. I've seen that road rebuilt twice after having been thoroughly mangled in the quakes of 1965 and 2001. Anyway, the poem:

Capitol Lake (to D.J.N.)

I find pure pleasure when I take
A scenic drive around the Lake;
Past Poplars standing sentry tall--
Leaf green in Spring, bright gold in Fall.
(And now, to keep them company, There has appeared the Cherry tree--
Pink floral tree-- a foreign loan
Our Capitol now calls its own ...)
The House of Government looks down
Onto the Harbor and the Town
And mirrors in the Lake's smooth face
A lingering, enrapt embrace.

I can recall the far-back day
This was not Lake-- it was but Bay.
There was no road-- the railroad track
Took log-filled cars to mill and back.
(The tracks still do their work, it's true
But they command a grander view!)
As I think back, we used to like
To walk that way. Our Sunday hike
Would take us on a cindered pass
Grown tall with weeds and knee-high grass.
Quite different, now, the way we take--
Paved smooth and wide past man-made lake ...

Enchantment does not cease with night ...
Amongst the Poplars wait the lights.
They are the sentries until dawn
And in the Lake more lights go on--
Reflections of the ones on shore.
Was roadway ever guarded more?
Who should have credit? I don't know
(A fraility I often show.)
But how I thank some unsung man
Who had the second sight to plan
This special place where dreams can start
And flourish ... in a poet's heart ...

stevenl's blog
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Right back atcha Steve

Submitted by emmettoconnell on Sun, 08/12/2007 - 12:34pm.

From page 21:

Morning Fog
(Puget Sound Style)
Hide the scenery; veil the City;
Time to make the skyline pretty;
Wake the Sun; Dismiss the Moon;
People will be rising soon...
Dust the treetops; Frost the Mountains;
Bejewel the cobwebs near the fountain;
Embrace teh waters of the Bay;
Caress the seagull on your way...
Settle in.. hold it steady...
And, at least, when all is ready,
Enclose the City like a frame
Then waft away from where you came...

God Bless good Ms. McClelland, wherever she is.

One day I went jogging

Submitted by Merwyn Haskett on Mon, 08/13/2007 - 4:16pm.

One day I went jogging 'round Capitol Lake
Breathing in Gnats
Dodging the Rats
Smelling the algae and dodging the goose crap
Choking on Gnats
Tripping on Rats
At Heritage Park I lay down for a nap
Dreaming of Gnats
Also of Rats
The noise of the city kept me wide awake
along with the gnats, rats and caimans too.
The Caimons snuck out of their dark fetid lake
Feasting on Rats
Hungry for Cats
They lurked in the tunnel and alleys downtown
Chomping on Rats
Snapping at Cats
A Deus ex Machina then came on down
Crushing the Rats
Scaring the Cats
The town was wiped out by a massive earthquake
So long to the rats, cats and caimans too.

Naia

Submitted by stevenl on Mon, 08/13/2007 - 8:42pm.

Naia published at least four books of poetry that I know of: Home Town (1969), The Beautiful Year (1970), Stamping Ground (1970) and Evergreens and Rain (1972). Here is some biographical information about her taken from the obituary in the June 20, 1990 Olympian:

"Naia McClelland, 68, a resident of Olympia for most of her life, died Tuesday June 19, 1990 in Puget Sound Health Care Center.

She was born April 12, 1922, to Donald and Pearl (Barnes) McClelland in Illahee. She was graduated from Olympia High School in 1940.

Miss McClelland worked as a secretary for many state agencies, retiring in 1984 from The Evergreen State College. She also worked with the Olympia High School Class of 1940 scholarship fund.

She enjoyed nature, working with stray animals, and writing and publishing books of poetry. Some of her articles and poems were published in the Daily Olympian.

She was preceded in death by her mother and her brother, Boyd McClelland. She was survived by many caring friends."

do you have copies of all four?

Submitted by emmettoconnell on Mon, 08/13/2007 - 9:16pm.

Because I'm having and idea...

No Stamping Ground

Submitted by stevenl on Wed, 08/15/2007 - 5:42am.

But I do have Home Town (signed!), The Beautiful Year, and Evergreens and Rain.

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