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This is a Story about what poetry is, some of our revered Colorado poets, the history of and how to celebrate National Poetry month. We have also included what The Mountain-Ear is doing to celebrate this momentous month in literature.

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An old man stands at the cemetery 
by Scott Harrison

An old man stands in the cemetery with his handful of forget-me-nots.

An only son, he is here in this field with all his brothers.

He keeps company with his old friend who is always much younger than him.

He feels tired, weary, but stands up straight and smiles for his pal.

There is a busy street of stores to the north.

A few kids play on the basketball court in the twilight to the east.

Mothers push baby carriages just south of the hundreds of white stones.

And west is where the red sun slowly drops as everyone knew it would.

The old man hears nothing as if a large glass dome has descended on this place.

Soon he is aware of the sound of his own heart as it beats out its eternal rhythm.

He knows this is the only conversation they can have.

It is a good one, rich with the subtleties of their long relationship.

As he bends down to place his flowers next to his friend’s stone,

A bird sings them both a sweet little song, and looks down from her branch.

It takes him a minute to lift himself back up, and in that slowed-down time,

His friend, in just a few heart beats, says good-bye and be well.

Some folks are looking for bargains at the bed stores on this Memorial Day.

Others are celebrating on this first day of a long-earned summer.

One old man is standing alone among his brothers, not forgetting.

To the east, a kid on the court has stopped playing and watches the still man.

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Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.

If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact:

Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chief, at [email protected]

Tyler Hickman, multimedia producer, at [email protected]

Jamie Lammers, podcast host, at [email protected]

General inquiries: [email protected]

Head to our website for all of the latest news.

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Where I'm from
by Sheila Smith Evans 

I’m from a Southern backyard —

Magnolia grandiflora sporting huge white blooms

Honeysuckles spilling over the fence

Red roses soaked with the aroma of tea

Hollyhocks springing up yearly into flowering towers

Mud pies made beneath a magnificent pin oak tree

Mint leaves mysteriously exploding with flavor

Milk pods being tasted unknowing they were poisonous.

I’m from a Southern backyard —

Bedroom window we escaped to crawl space door

To meet our coonhound and to play in the moonlight.

Bedroom window we each escaped separately

Out into moonlit streets until return by kind policemen.

I’m from a Southern backyard —

Concrete foundation swirls scarily like a gorilla’s face

Wooden swing where we watched mad Mommy fleeing

Crawl space hound’s howls after Daddy’s death.

I’m from a Southern backyard —

From which Mommy returned to hospital after funeral

From which we left with barely known Northern kinfolk

To which others came to live in the bounty of its beauty.

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Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.

If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact:

Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chief, at [email protected]

Tyler Hickman, multimedia producer, at [email protected]

Jamie Lammers, podcast host, at [email protected]

General inquiries: [email protected]

Head to our website for all of the latest news.

Subscribe to The Mountain-Ear in print and online.

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Taos, April, Mabel Dodge Luhan House
by Gerald Phillips

The Acequia Madre is still dry here at Taos

The big old cottonwoods along it, quiescent.

The cacique out at the pueblo still watching where the sun rises

Each day slightly further north above the sacred mountain.

The people are cleaning their ditches with shovel and fire.

Then, at the right moment,

The mayor domo will open the head gates and the water of life will flow.

We’ll hear it in our dreams

And wake to find the ditch full and speaking its many voices.

The huge wrinkled Yggdrasil cottonwoods will feel the water,

Waken, drink deep, burst into flower and leaf

And scatter their seed in fluffs and drifts of cotton snow.

For now, all still waits.

Yet, look up:

The high bare branches of the World Trees bear fruit of doves.

Support the show

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.

If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact:

Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chief, at [email protected]

Tyler Hickman, multimedia producer, at [email protected]

Jamie Lammers, podcast host, at [email protected]

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Head to our website for all of the latest news.

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Mountain Climber
by Thane Schwartz

The Melt

Frolicking desperate steps planted in a melting snow. Seemingly growing larger as I prance upon her flow. Icicles silencing the steady drip within her hollow. Beckoning the cold to freeze her fate before they fall in sorrow.❄️A branch now lifted of its weight. A relief from a setting suns fade. An icicle letting go of its fate. Only to return the next day❄️Footsteps no longer leaving prints. But a steady gate now leaving nothing. Planted in front of me my prints seemingly growing smaller. As I step into the melt.

Support the show

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.

If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact:

Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chief, at [email protected]

Tyler Hickman, multimedia producer, at [email protected]

Jamie Lammers, podcast host, at [email protected]

General inquiries: [email protected]

Head to our website for all of the latest news.

Subscribe to The Mountain-Ear in print and online.

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Sunset Boulevard Hallucinations
by Sam Hendrian 

She’d made a living out of first impressions

Even if she wasn’t always sure

What those first impressions were. 

If you leave things at a handshake and a smile

There’s little room for error

Unless of course the smile says more than was meant to be said.

 We all fall victim to projections,

To checklists we have no means of seeing

While lost in the mundane maze of small talk.

Nowadays though there’s no guarantee

The rarity of an accurate perception

Isn’t stolen by a double-tapping reassessment.

Perhaps all constructions of character

Are mere Sunset Boulevard hallucinations

Tricking us in ‘n’ out of friendships.

Anyhow, she gave up her living of first impressions

And took to the streets busking with songs of segways, 

Medleys of the middle where truth has time to breathe.

Support the show

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.

If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact:

Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chief, at [email protected]

Tyler Hickman, multimedia producer, at [email protected]

Jamie Lammers, podcast host, at [email protected]

General inquiries: [email protected]

Head to our website for all of the latest news.

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Spring Haiku #1
by Gerald Phillips

Spring:  The trees are young

They toss their green hair, flirting

With me and the wind.

 Gerald Phillips

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Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.

If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact:

Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chief, at [email protected]

Tyler Hickman, multimedia producer, at [email protected]

Jamie Lammers, podcast host, at [email protected]

General inquiries: [email protected]

Head to our website for all of the latest news.

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Positive Space
by Laurelyn Sayah

Another big issue

for our little town

was a grant for new logos

we couldn’t turn down.

It’s not easy to pick

just one image, we found,

for a spot known as special

the whole world around.

With so many good folks and

happenings in this place,

the first shape put a frown

on everybody’s face.

We were all united

by what we didn’t like,

but then told each other

to go take a hike.

The debacle was reported

by the Mountain Ear,

which brought forth ideas,

so let’s give them a cheer.

An artist thought of

special places she’s known,

and what was in common

with the one she calls home.

It’s the journey to get here,

the beauty and friendships,

the desire to stay

despite nature’s hardships.

So she tried out a sketch

to capture that sense,

hoping to ease

a discourse gone tense.

Then other designers

gave it a trace,

and a positive meaning

for negative space.

After some changing

of lines that were blurred,

the shape of the landscape

turned into a bird!

...or maybe a dragon,

or the dove on peace signs,

or a phoenix rising up

from frozen dead designs.

Step back and look closer,

whatever the feather,

what you see is resulting

from working together,

and from difficult process,

but now that it’s done,

let’s enjoy the efforts,

because everybody won.

Use the moose and the bear

for stickers on your car,

or make into boops,

(whatever those are).

Taglines on t-shirts

would look great in black,

and at least we don’t have to

give grant money back.

Best not to get stuck

on what might offend

when we face many more

big decisions to attend.

We’re still shoveling out,

and soon we’ll be weeding,

so helping each other

is what we are needing.

There’s so much here

to be grateful for,

and spiraling uplift

will make even more

Spring is here Nederland!

So get out in the sun,

Change up the clocks,

and let’s all have some fun!

Support the show

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.

If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact:

Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chief, at [email protected]

Tyler Hickman, multimedia producer, at [email protected]

Jamie Lammers, podcast host, at [email protected]

General inquiries: [email protected]

Head to our website for all of the latest news.

Subscribe to The Mountain-Ear in print and online.

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Mountain Climber
by Thane Schwartz

A subtle stone under the hand, giving way to a wayward fall. And through a cloud unable to reach, a pinnacle not breached🏔 A crevasse no longer holding the hook, as it grapples with the grapnel. And picking the pebbles from under her nook, the mountain manicures it’s granules🏔 The hook no longer with the rope, but dangling in the clouds. And letting go of a wayward hope, a subtle fall onto the ground.

Support the show

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.

If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact:

Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chief, at [email protected]

Tyler Hickman, multimedia producer, at [email protected]

Jamie Lammers, podcast host, at [email protected]

General inquiries: [email protected]

Head to our website for all of the latest news.

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Lunar Tide
by Meg Fox

The moon and the reservoir are in love,

But they’re not as crazy as you ‘d think.

Every now and then he waves at her, and she eclipse a wink.

Support the show

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.

If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact:

Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chief, at [email protected]

Tyler Hickman, multimedia producer, at [email protected]

Jamie Lammers, podcast host, at [email protected]

General inquiries: [email protected]

Head to our website for all of the latest news.

Subscribe to The Mountain-Ear in print and online.

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