Versiferous — The Berkshire Poets

Welcome to the just-launched poetry section of the Greylock Glass. The submissions are already beginning to drift in, which is truly elating. Submit your work by e-mailing us at [email protected]. A short bio and headshot are optional, but welcome, items.

"The Favourite Poet," Oil on canvas, 1888, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836-1912)
“The Favourite Poet,” Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema; Oil on canvas, 1888

 

Friday, June 8, 2018

Carrisa Sacherski

With gratitude and a heartfelt welcome to our first entry into this curious little oasis of prose to Carrisa Sacherski of North Adams, Mass. for her contribution.

Sailor’s Song *

"Sandy Beach," by Adavyd; Cropped, shopped, and resized; [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
Sandy Beach,” by Adavyd; Cropped, shopped, resized; [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons.

You are no longer a metaphor for the ocean
You have become an emotional riptide
Scraped and bruised kneecaps won’t give way to whitecaps
Salty sea air no longer tastes like your skin

You have become an emotional riptide
A quick and dangerous eddy of too much abhorrence and lust
Salty sea air no longer tastes like your skin
And I was never taught how to swim

You have become an emotional riptide
I can’t find your shore
Salty sea air no longer tastes like your skin
Remember when we could call the sea our home?

Quick shifting waves break into crests, fall and deepen
Scraped and bruised kneecaps won’t give way to whitecaps
And now all of this has all become a natural disaster
You are no longer a metaphor for the ocean

Poet and youth advocate, Carrisa Sacherski; submitted photo.
Poet and youth advocate, Carrisa Sacherski; submitted photo.

 

 

 

Carrisa Sacherski is a full time youth worker with a background in poetry both educationally and personally. She has been writing since she was a young teen and has been inspired to continue doing so into her adult life. She is passionate about how we use writing as a tool, how we work with our younger generations and, the greater picture. She has never, until now, shared her poetry outside of classroom walls. Also, she is a Gemini who really loves scary movies and rainy weather.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

I was mulling over some ideas about getting this page started, thinking about what makes poets tick, when it came to me:

fuel up local poets with caffeine and sugar.

Novel idea, right? Berkshires cafés are contributing  gift certificates that will set poets up with a cup of coffee and a muffin (or bagel, or cookie, etc.) when their works are selected for publication at Greylock Glass. The chosen poet of the week will get to choose the café her or his redemption café . One week it may be No. 6 Depot down in West Stockbridge. Another week, it may be Dottie’s in Pittsfield. You get the idea.

So we offer thanks to our favorite Berkshires cafés that have eagerly assented to sponsoring this poetry initiative with tasty things to sip and nibble on:

Haven Cafe and BakeryNo. Six Depot Roastery & Café

 

Oh, and with FIVE muses devoted to you and your pen (six, if you count Melpomene—tragedy), we have every confidence in your creativity.

Calliope-epic poetry; Euterpe-flutes and lyric poetry;
Thalia-comedy and pastoral poetry; Erato-love poetry; Polyhymnia-sacred poetry

The Nine Muses
The Nine Muses