Thursday 4 November 2010

Welcome to Moondustwriter Thursday - Featuring Gay Cannon


I met Gay Cannon on Twitter where I have met many incredible writers who have become friends. I liken Twitter to a pub where someone walks in for the first time and doesn't know a soul; a person casually asks "what do you do?" - the next thing you know many of the people at the pub are talking about what they do, who they know, and suggest maybe "so and so" can help with the book or poetry site.
When I met Gay,we just eased into a conversation. She's like that. I never realized  how much we have in common. We obviously both share a love for the written word. She and I both went to University to study the Sciences. After two years, Gay was so in love with writing and literature that she became a Liberal Arts Major.Since then she has taught a class on just about everything.
Gay is quite the story teller. She has written a time travel novel; sadly it coincided with her husband's death. It seems that the novel is stuck on an old inaccessible disk (bet I could find someone on Twitter to help her with that disk.) Gay's husband was a talented man; one of his many accomplishments was being on the team at NASA that made the moon shots possible. Yes - I could go on about this multi-faceted woman.
What inspires Gay to write poetry?: The two subjects that carry her away into the poetry realm are nature and weather; her beloved Texas puts prose at the end of her pen. Gay has a way of making words do what she wants - a poetic magician of sorts. She has published much of her poetry in magazines over the years and hopes to compile all of her poetry into a book. 

I hope you enjoy Gay's poetry as much as I do.  



ENDANGERED

Gliding
Seagulls
Cry
In response to each wave’s spray

Salt
Sea
Tears
For the whooping cranes
That fly from Aransas Pass.

New
Hazy
Night
Why must they leave?

The rhythmic water
Slaps the white sand,
Brown and green reeds
Join all nature to play this symphony.
Can it not preserve the ballet,

These shadowed cranes against
A bone-white porcelain moon?






SYLVANIA

There’s no one as old as we are, sir, or as young.
We ride horses in the forest and their manes stretch away
from us becoming like the trunks of trees.
My husband died and left me feeling not as old
as my grandchild’s birth.
I grab the mane and ride toward youth.

You had no markers in that wasteland to measure out your age.
I think you’re young, as young as when we mounted, sir,
but when I glimpse you now your face folds in against the bone
like knees upon the Cypress trees and still we ride
to a place we know where flowers once would open to the sun
and need no shade.

Then your pace was quicker, sir, and
your face a flower paled by moon.
We seek beginnings in autumn and ride
wild and unbridled now over burnished leaves.

We reach for life and find its span,
aging as the trees we’ve known.



NOCTURNE

I cannot find you in the summer’s leaves,
Or hear your music in the moontime’s song,
The shadow shapes become the faceless breeze.

Across a cubist’s landscape of elm trees,
On midnight’s wave, I hear the steeple’s gong,
I cannot find you in the summer’s leaves.

When emerald stars through satin dreams, increase
Their spell and thus my fantasy prolong,
The shadow shapes become the faceless breeze.

Of velvet indigos, the night then weaves
Its magic carpet that bears me along,
I cannot find you in the summer’s leaves.

In caravels I sail Aegean Seas
And touch the columns that I dance among,
The shadow shapes become the faceless breeze.

At last within my grasp No, it deceives
Me, and I reach to find the vision gone.
I cannot see you in the summer’s leaves,
The shadow shapes become the faceless breeze.

You can read more of Gay's fantastic work here
Tweet Gay when you get a chance @beachanny
Thanks so much Gay for sharing your beautiful poetry.

© Gay Reiser Cannon. All Rights Reserved
Photos courtesy of Flickr:
Dark Seascape: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/3103381523/
Wild horses: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bouldair/4963835069/

22 comments:

Libby said...

Gay, I love your work and you are so inspiring and encouraging to me and and many others. Take care Libby xx

Adam Common, Poet said...

Your work is beautiful :O

Marshy said...

through my time on twitter and getting to know Gay...i must say she is a wonderful supporter of poetry and a wonderful character in her own right with some amazing tales to tell...but above all she also writes damn good poetry ...a fabulous spotlight highlighting some gems..cheers pete

Corbie said...

Gay, you are a great inspiration for all. Your works are moving and simply fantastic. I hope that one day your dream does come true (and I'm sure it will). I will be one of the first in line for a book of poems from you. Great spotlight Leslie. Thank you so much for sharing.

Melissa Campbell said...

It's so good to get to know the person behind the pen-name. I love your poetry, Gay. I am gleaning treasure while I read, over and over. Blessings!

Maureen said...

Thank you for spotlighting Gay. Her poems are full of lovely imagery. She creates a marvelous sense of place.

Myrna R. said...

Gay's poetry is so soulful. It transports one to higher realms.

(I think I must get a twitter account.)

hedgewitch said...

Strong work, eloquent with experience and the nuances time brings to make up for the intense single sharpnesses it takes away. Enjoyed all three spotlighted poems, perhaps Sylvania the most. And may I say, Gay that my name is Joy--there must be something metaphysical about that yes? ;) Thanks to you & One Stop for bringing out this excellent stuff.

Beachanny said...

This "spotlight" is so meaningful to me. To have each of you give me this amount of praise moves and touches me more than I have words to express. That you who have such deep and resonant works of art would value mine makes me truly grateful.
Thank you from the depths of my being.

Unknown said...

Oh, what a wonderful choice of poets to spotlight. Gay is a just an amazing artist in so many ways. I cherish her energy....

Anonymous said...

Breath-taking, beautiful, and so much heart in each poem here, very strong.
Such a very very special gift you have shared with us all Gay. Your work seems almost a magical feel within it..so very touching.
Thank you Leslie for the wonderful feature this Thursday. *Hugs* ~April

Claudia said...

Gay - i hear your music in the moontime’s song...
your poetry is beautiful and you are probably one of the most encouraging people i've met on twitter so far...
so great to know you..and so good that moonie gave us some background..did know nothing of this and it adds to the respect i already have for you
thanks Leslie and thanks Gay!

Maude Lynn said...

These are fabulous! I definitely want to read more.

dustus said...

Gay is an outstanding person and poet. In addition to being a fan of her work, getting to know her through Twitter and One Shot continues to be a joy. It's artists like her who motivate both through their creative work and sincere encouragement. Great feature, Leslie. Cheers

moondustwriter said...

I really would love to read Gay's novel. I'm enjoying her poetry immensely

Thanks G



smiles

Awdures said...

Gay brightens up my day, a fellow foodie and a woman who writes beautifully. You're inspirational Hun, so pleased to know you.

Beachanny said...

Leslie, The plan was for 2 novels where a transfer of souls took place. A young woman named Agnes left her home in England for a school trip to Paris where she tumbles into the body of a young woman she sees through a glass divider. She longs to be a writer and has ideas of independence. She comes forward to the present.

The woman she trades places withT is an American artist living in the present time. However, she paints in an impressionist style and longs to know the likes of Renoir Degas, etc. So the second book is her story when going back in time.

It was full of time changes and adjustments with romances for each woman and passions too. Pity I lost it.

Written on the first Macintosh in WRITE and when I went to the apple shop some years ago they said they had nothing any more to read it. I tried installing the program on a newer one (which is quite small) but it wasn't compatible.

Beachanny said...

It's been wonderful meeting each of you, reading your work and becoming your friend. It's exhilarating to know people from all over the world. If you do like my work and I had the chance to communicate with you to this extent, it makes the writing worthwhile. Thank you for your appreciation!

Miranda said...

Oh! those poems were just gorgeous! They painted such beautiful pictures in my mind. I would certainly buy a book of yours if that ever becomes a reality.

moondustwriter said...

I agree with Miranda I would be first in line for the books.

Thanks Gay for your beautiful words penned here for us

Caty said...

all three were wonderful. the beauty written them is undeniable. thanks for the spotlight!

Warcommander said...

This is very good I love this