December Dreaming

For some, December is a time to throw themselves into a shopping frenzy, into a whirlwind of material excess and into consumerist greed and superficiality. Others, however, prefer to savor the long and quiet nights for more inward-directed pursuits.

Many stories and poems celebrate the season around the Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanza with insight and imagination.

Reading by electric- or maybe even candlelight can nourish the soul and uplift the spirit in ways that nothing else can.

In the true spirit of the season we present two poems, one by Rainer Maria Rilke (4 December 1875-29 December 1926), one of the greatest and beloved 20th century poets writing in the German language. The other one is by contemporary poet Ana Elsner.

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Advent

Es treibt der Wind im Winterwalde
Die Flockenherde wie ein Hirt,
Und manche Tanne ahnt, wie balde
Sie fromm und lichterheilig wird,
Und lauscht hinaus. Den weißen Wegen
Streckt sie die Zweige hin - bereit,
Und wehrt dem Wind und wächst entgegen
Der einen Nacht der Herrlichkeit.

-Rainer Maria Rilke


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SNOWFLAKE


a single stray snowflake

gets tangled up in a song

and hitches a ride on the melody

for five beats, maybe six

until it gives itself up to the rainbow

that bridges the gap

of what we feel


© Ana Elsner, 2007
from 'Ciphers Of Uncommon Origin - Poems By Ana Elsner'
used by permission

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Hear This

If you live in or visit the San Francisco Bay Area you will have an opportunity to hear the poet Ana Elsner read from her book CIPHERS OF UNCOMMON ORIGIN and from her new manuscript ALL POEMS ACTUAL SIZE. Philip Hakett will also be reading.



The San Francisco Public Library presents

An Evening of Poetry

Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007

at the North Beach Branch,
Columbus Ave. at Mason

::

For a complete schedule

of Ana Elsner's featured readings

and upcoming public engagements

please go to her

Events page

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[See also: 'P' is for Poetry]

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Ana Elsner pays tribute to the Oboe

OBOE

The unhurried echo

of an oboe,

attuned femaleness

of sound,

contains me.


Chromosomes of Woman,

bestowed on me

in my wombed beginning,

make me

a sounding reed,

like the oboe.


Chromosomes of Woman,

my manifest prerogative,

make me

subject to no restrictions

of scale.


Like the oboe

I am the unhurried echo

of female sovereignty

trailing

the wind.


© Ana Elsner

From 'CIPHERS OF UNCOMMON ORIGIN -Poems by Ana Elsner'.

Reprinted by permission

Read other poems by Ana Elsner

: :

CIPHERS By Ana Elsner - First Publication

"CIPHERS Of Uncommon Origin -

Poems by Ana Elsner", Volume I

First Edition June
2007.

28p.; 22cm; full color semi-gloss cover.

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"My work is seasoned by a life lived in a great diversity of cultural contexts, which enables me to transcend the limits of one-dimensionality. ... Although often provocative and (self) critical in tone, and neologistic in language, I consider my poems to be ageless and intellectually and emotionally accessible to a broad and diverse readership,"
Ana Elsner, 2006

: Visit the world of the poet :

"To create true poetry requires hunger and passion, and Ana Elsner has it, in spades,"

Lawrence Ferlinghetti,
Poet; Artist; Publisher,
City Lights Books,
San Francisco;
Recipient of the 2005 Literarian Award