Seemingly—our canoe slips on-
to the pond’s glassy surface, cutting
an easy wake above the mass of floating
fanwort undulating in the slow rock
& keep of summer —hypnotic in its spell—
a breath of wind, glancing against each
cattail, sways the scrim of privacy—a glimpse
of us paddling in measured strokes to the center
where we’ll sit idle, looking for a sign of life
stirring— a small painted turtle pokes its head
above water & sees us first; then, sinks—
leaving a trail of stars in its descent.
M.J. Iuppa is the Director of the Visual and Performing Arts Minor Program and Lecturer in Creative Writing at St. John Fisher College; and since 2000 to present, is a part time lecturer in Creative Writing at The College at Brockport. Since 1986, she has been a teaching artist, working with students, K-12, in Rochester, NY, and surrounding area. Most recently, she was awarded the New York State Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching, 2017. She has four full length poetry collections, forthcoming This Thirst (Kelsay Books, 2017), Small Worlds Floating (2016) as well as Within Reach (2010) both from Cherry Grove Collections; Night Traveler (Foothills Publishing, 2003); and 5 chapbooks. She lives on a small farm in Hamlin NY.
Foxglove Journal 