Enchanted place on the island, Long Island Poem for New Year's Eve Sunday

We all have our very own places on the island that cast their spell if we stop long enough to reflect. Patti Tana presents hers: "The pond behind my home is a source of delight and inspiration in all seasons."

The Pond on Kaintuck Lane
Patti Tana

Before the Epsteins built this house
and the small stone dam, a vernal pond
swelled and shrank in a summer
meadow of grazing cows.
Glazed with winter
the pond drew the children
down from the hills ––
voices ringing, ice skates zinging.

Cows are gone, but behind the house
the pond still lives, larger and deep,
freezing and thawing with the seasons.
Ducks and geese and swans feast
on floating gardens.
In winter they stamp and peck
and plow through ice forming
solid skin on the fluid pond.

On the other side
a train flickers through the trees
while a dragon, lit mouth to tail,
courses through the water.
The moon casts a shimmering glow.
And when no moonlight hides their light
the pond draws the stars down the sky
into the indigo night.

'The Pond on Kaintuck Lane' by Patti Tana.
Published with author's permission.

Patti Tana, Professor Emerita of English at Nassau Community College, is associate editor of Long Island Quarterly and the Walt Whitman Birthplace Long Island Poet of the Year 2009. Her eighth collection of poems is Any Given Day (Whittier Publications, Inc., 2011). Listen to her read her poems at www.pattitana.com

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Previous Long Island Poem for Sunday - Lonely Plum Island Christmas 1843, Long Island Poem for Sunday

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Lonely Plum Island Christmas 1843, Long Island Poem for Sunday

Christmas--1843
Sarah D. Bowditch

Amid the world's gay throngs to-night
    There's mirth and festive glee;
But none amid those hearts so light
    Will cast one glimpse on me.

No ray from Hope's bright star is cast
    To this lone isle of the sea;
And lonely and sad the Christmas has passed,
    And left no mirth for me.

There's many a friend that once caressed,
    As merry as merry can be;
But, ah! the one that I love best
    Will forget to think of me.

Then turn my soul away from earth;
    Look upward still, and see
The stars that shine on the halls of mirth
    As brightly beam on thee.

Then let me not murmur at my fate,
    Though lonely and sad I may be,
For the angels whose birth we celebrate,
    Brought "tidings of joy" to me.

We have found this poem on the Long Island Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society, based in Cutchogue.

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Previous Long Island Poem for Sunday - All I want for Christmas, Long Island Poem for Sunday

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All I want for Christmas, Long Island Poem for Sunday

How poignant does today's poem sound. We want our close ones safe, be it on antipodes or in our home towns.

All I want for Christmas
Claudia Sukman

You were motionless under the blankets
Waiting for Santa Listening to the whispers of your father and me as we slipped in and out of rooms
Unearthing presents to wrap
Listening to the savory sounds of scissors, marching through gift paper
Listening to the scrunch of cellophane tape, measured out and sliced
Closing eyes to hurry away the night
So that it could be Christmas

You are motionless inside the darkness
Hearing shows slither though the Baghdad night
Hearing the heavy fabric of a chador sweep into a recessed doorway
Hearing the exhale of a breath un-tethered
You wait, wishing for the dawn to come
So that it could be light

I am motionless, watching the snow whitewash the night sky
Inhaling the Christmas tree
Shaking our the last drops of eggnog from the carton
Waiting
Wanting you safe
Wanting you home

'All I want for Christmas' by Claudia Sukman. Included in Stocking Stuffers / seasonal and holiday poems by Prehensile Pencil Publications. For purchase at Think Long Island First.
Published with author's permission.

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Previous Long Island Poem for Sunday - Feast, Long Island Poem for Chanukah Sunday

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Think Long Island First store to close at the end of December

Dear Artists and Supporters,

We regret to inform you that the Think Long Island First store in Oyster Bay will close its doors on December 31st.

More than two years ago we have set up to bring locally made items to the wider public. Having started with 28, we have grown to display works of over 130 Long Island artists - wood turners and carvers, potters, quilters, jewelers, knitters, painters, photographers, writers, chefs, soap and candle makers among others. Our goal was not only to fill the shelves with locally made items, but also to present the artists, their techniques, stories, and inspirations.

This has been an immense experience for both of us - from an incredible learning process in all matters of arts and crafts to the unforgettable chance of forging relationships with the local artists, our loyal customers, and local organizations.

Our deep appreciation goes to artists who trusted us with their artwork, to customers who chose to purchase unique, local wares, and to supporters who participated in various events we have staged at the store and in the local communities. We are vastly indebted to All for this opportunity.

As we close this chapter we are preparing for the next. Jolanta will resume full time management of her husband's medical practice, continue good work with various charities on Long Island, and enjoy time with her two little grandsons. Ewa returns to full time engagement with a New York City based charity helping children in developing countries obtain free, quality cleft lip and palate care. She plans to complete her family tree project and explore poetry translation.

With our thanks and best wishes,

Ewa and Jolanta

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Holiday gifts $25 and under

Just a few ideas of gifts $25 and under - jewelry for her, books and calendars for him, decorative accents and ornaments for home, treats for dogs, items for horsemen, candles for ambiance lovers, delicious cookies and biscotti for epicures:

Colorful glass beads fired by Gea Hines	Hand carved ornaments by Don Dailey	Shining glass ornaments decorated by Chris Murphy
Horse theme table runner by Caroline Kielbasa	Pine scented candles from East End Candle	From Bliss to Gratitude by Lorraine Miller
Tantalizing dog treats from Little Lexi's Barkery	Cookies and biscotti - sweet! by Stone Ridge Farm	Relaxing candles from Jamesport Candle
Christmas cards - The Farm by Linda Mondello	Gingerbread soap - Naturally Handmade by Susan	Majolica clay ornaments handpainted by Sue Adler
Dog calendar for 2013 by Mollie Eckelberry	Wood block ornament by Nancy Ferrari	Clips and charms by Sharon LaMonica
Peppermint soap by Susan Linares	Captivating glass pendants by Jane Cairns Irvine	Holiday poetry as read at Small Business Saturday

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Feast, Long Island Poem for Chanukah Sunday

There are many ways to celebrate the approaching holidays and our melting pot era favors these and more - you may deck the halls and a Christmas tree (so Dickensian yet originated in late 15th century Germany), light up 9 menorah candles (since 2nd century BCE), erect a Festivus pole (in popular culture since 1997), hang a bunch of mistletoe to kiss under (first documented in 16th century England), share fresh Kwanzaa fruit (since 1966), mark winter solstice (since Neolithic times).

Polish tradition has it that animals speak in human voices on Christmas Eve. What would cats under the care of poet Joan Digby tell us?

Feast
Joan Dibgy

Photo by Joan Digby

Today I fed the cats
on sturgeon

It's Chanukah
and who knows
but in the colony
there lurks
a Jewish feline
assimilated
yet longing for food
that strongly smells
of the old country

'Feast' by Joan Digby. Included in Stocking Stuffers / seasonal and holiday poems by Prehensile Pencil Publications. For purchase at Think Long Island First.
Published with author's permission.

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Previous Long Island Poem for Sunday - The Cardinal, Long Island Poem for Sunday

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The Cardinal, Long Island Poem for Sunday

The Cardinal
Patricia Rossi

I beckon you in the early morn to dance upon my bedroom windowsill and just as accordion streaks of radiant light gently awaken my sleepy eyes from a peaceful night of slumber, may my drowsy ears hear your voice, a melodious proclamation that a new day has graciously been bestowed upon me.

And just when your symphonic chirps grace the final stanza of your jubilant morning song, I will lift my head and heart to the heavens, join my hands in solemn prayer and humbly request that my path be laden with plentiful sightings of you today….everyday.

Spring…On a quiet evening, may I be so blessed as to capture a glimpse of you as you gracefully flutter in a field bursting with pink wildflowers, just as the sun begins its amber descent.

Summer… In mid-afternoon when a threatening sky suddenly prevails and a harsh rain temporarily begins to fall upon us, may I find you precariously tucked in a hydrangea tree, sheltered from the pounding precipitation by its purple hued floral spheres.

Late Fall… May my eyes behold you resting upon a weathered flower box packed with vibrant autumn colors….Amongst the burnt orange and bright yellow petals there you are…. donned in a dangling ivy vine, faded to the palest of sage greens by the warmth of summer days gone by.

And deep in Winter… when I am indeed blinded by whiteness, miraculously I see you, majestically perched on a snow blanketed branch.

Indeed, you are more than a red feathered cloaked Christmas beauty.

Truly you are as brilliant in color, as you are in meaning.

You evoke the spirit and the destiny of the loved ones I have lost.

For the world is now theirs, un-tethered souls, free to soar and able to triumphantly rejoice, as they make their presence known to me each and every day……….through you.

'The Cardinal' by Patricia Rossi. Included in Stocking Stuffers / seasonal and holiday poems by Prehensile Pencil Publications. For purchase at Think Long Island First.
Published with author's permission.

Patricia introduced herself: "I am an attorney by trade, but my true passion is writing. A number of my personal essays have been published. I have dabbled in the arts, love creating collages. I have done some grant writing and actually have been awarded grants from NYS. I utilized the funds to create art classes and poetry appreciation for children grades 1-4 in lower income areas of Nassau County. It has been quite rewarding. The funds have run out, but with the assistance of the Freeport Memorial Library I keep the program running. I also currently teach creative writing workshops to cancer survivors and teens."

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Previous Long Island Poem for Sunday - Christmastide Haiku and Going Home for Christmas by Edmund Miller

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