Wildhaven Writers read

In honor of Women’s History Month (March), the Ferndale Public Library is pleased to present a group reading by the Wildhaven Writers from their collection, Women’s Bodies, Women’s Words. The free event, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 6:00pm, will feature Nancy Canyon, Leslie Wharton, Suzanne Harris, Amy Alice, Courtney Kendall, and Rose McClean.

Bellingham book launch

Join Suzanne Harris, Nancy Canyon, and Leslie Wharton — the Wildhaven Writers — in the Village Books Readings Gallery on Friday, October 20, 2023, at 6:00pm, as they launch their new book, Women’s Bodies, Women’s Words. The three Sue Boynton Poetry Contest winners will share their collection of personal essays and poetry, plus attendees will be able to register to vote at the event.

The Bear*

2020 Walk Award
By Suzanne Harris

If grief is an animal, make it a bear
hibernating cold and hard
in the back-cave of your heart.
In the restlessness of spring,
groggy, hungry, it will rise without warning
gnawing its pain straight through.
There will be no escape
for the soft pulsing of your heart
torn and bled by that bear’s sharp incisors.

Grief, the sinner’s corsage —
unresolved guilt, moments which cut like a knife, then
bleed the loss across frozen expanses of forward-time
dancing with shadows from the past.
Memories sharp like razors slice your disbelief
to emptiness, sullen and alone.
The wind, such cool relief, blows
atoms of your loss across the frozen plain.

Some day you will rise above that bed of sorrow,
the sky so blue and bright
all you can see is white, miracle of sun light.
That bear, sated in the warmth
will sit amongst ripe berries on high hills,
at peace, at one, at last.

*Copyright 2020 by Suzanne Harris. Broadside illustrated by Megan Carroll.

Father*

Father
by Suzanne Harris
2014 Merit Award

It seemed like time froze
that cold clear January day
when you lay dying
and I drove
one hundred miles
to sit by your bedside
and sing, and read, and cry.

After you were gone
the rains came — tears
pouring from the sky.
I cried as I drove home
through wild wind and spray,
while the skies sobbed
their condolences.

Later, sorting out
the loss and the grief,
it snowed; as if winter
held her breath
just for me
while I journeyed
that season of sadness.

. . . . .
*Copyright 2014 by Suzanne Harris. Broadside designed and illustrated by Anita K. Boyle, Egress Studio.