Margaret Hasse Verse-Virtual 2017 May

May 2017

I grew up in Vermillion, South Dakota, and was educated at Stanford University (B.A., English) and the University of Minnesota (M.A., English). I started writing poetry when I was a child and never stopped. For the past thirty years, I’ve lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where I teach and consult with arts organizations on their plans and programs. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate in receiving some awards for my poetry, including a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. My fifth book of poetry, Between Us, was released in 2016. Visit my website at www.MargaretHasse.com

First Morning in the Mountains

We crawled out of the tent
as if out of a dark cave
before we knew fire, amazed
that mist lifted like a scrim.

The alchemy of sunlight
turned raindrops to silver.
Conifer needles on branches
glittered like wings.

The sun moved on
from that small clearing
into thick forest drawn
by the song of invisible birds.

Why Go to the Wilderness

When we walk, silence
walks with us.
Ropelike roots of trees
rig the rocky soil.
Might trip a woman.
Might roll a man with his backpack
like a beetle.

The vocabulary of wilderness
takes a long time to learn.

In the dark the sickle moon
looks left across the universe,
which means it will grow.
We sleep like pupas
in our down bags.

All night the river pours
its heart out over the rocks.

Both poems appear in Between Us

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