Poetry Spotlight: How Easily, by Rebecca Sonniksen
April is National Poetry Month, which “reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters.”
by Cole Goodwin and Judy Bankman
This month, CCC News is excited to present Local Poetry Spotlight: a weekly poetry column dedicated to showcasing the poetry of local writers. At CCCNews we believe in the power of art and creative writing to heal, connect with one another, and build community, and that’s what the Poetry Spotlight is all about.
Meet This Week’s Poet: Rebecca Sonniksen
Pictured: Rebecca Sonniksen
Rebecca Sonniksen is retired, and moved from Portland to live in the Columbia Gorge with her artist husband, Scott Sonniksen. She previously had a career in Marketing & Retail Development for the Portland Airport and the Port of Portland, was a local downtown retail development consultant. Rebecca was also the education director for the Oregon Humane Society. She is an animal lover and educator.
What inspires her to write poetry?
“The natural beauty of the Columbia Gorge,” said Rebecca.
How Easily, a poem by Rebecca Sonniksen
How Easily
I break off
from the embrace of being-
eight years old, flinging rocks from a railroad trestle
to hear the splash.
Break off-
from imagining morning frost
changing driveway gravel to a glistening
river of diamonds.
From cracking ice fragments
clinging to grassy winter remnants,
framing a multitude of miniature grasses,
flowing time suspends.
Bend close to absorb the transparency
of vanishing coldness-
Capture the marvel of an unexpected melt,
in the unexpected warmth of a winter day.
Hold it in your hands, it melts.
It's only ice, afterall.
By Rebecca Sonniksen
Inspired by my 8 year old granddaughter Sofia.
Sofia holds up a piece of ice she picked up off the ground.
Stay tuned for more poems from local poets!
If you’d like to submit a poem to the Poetry Spotlight, please fill out this form.
