It started with the lake
and the spruce trees leaned
in for a better look.
My toes wandered
into the water,
which threw out
glacial-silt blue
and reflected a grey sky.
Toes exploring further,
ahead of myself so that
the snow-born water crept
up my legs and I was soon
on my back.
Mushrooms popped tops
of heads up through
moist dirt to peep.
My toes led the way,
becoming glacial themselves
as the Alaskan current
carried me out of the lake and to
the river.
I flowed.
Mist began to fall
and I became
a blue totem:
beaver knees,
eagle mound,
moose-antler breasts,
grizzly-bear hair.
My skin crystallized,
forming snowflake stars
over my fingers,
shins,
then finally
my middle.
Cracked.
As a close summer sun
came out
my blue star
skin melted
and I became the Kenai.
*As I was packing and preparing for my move, I found this little number that I had written my first time in Alaska. Revisiting it after 8 years, I can see quite a few revisions I would want to make, but I wanted to post it in its original. I’m wondering how my impressions and experience of Alaska this time around will compare with my memories.