Writing Tips and A Slice of Life
Yesterday’s tip suggested a look for similarities, so today I continued that search. Yesterday’s poem found a connection between the people of Ukraine and our community: sunflowers and the Same Sunshine. So, when reviewing my photos for today’s photo and poetry, I found this one of the Dunes.
It was just last year or the year before when we visited the strange geological area near Moses Lake, WA— the sand dunes and mud flats, which were created as deposits from the Great Missoula Floods during the age of melting glaciers.
The area draws ATV and motorcyclists from all over the world to cruise the dunes. It is not ironic that the Grant County Sheriff’s Unit in charge of the ATV park includes directions [Maps] that include not only the directions to the two entrances, but also the map directions to the local hospital. The sport can be dangerous, so heed the rules and take care.
Again, I wanted to look for a connection between to places so far apart and seemingly so different, something to hold onto while hoping for peace, for both sides. So I searched for sand dunes in Ukraine.
I found a website of 7 Natural Wonders of Ukraine. And sure enough, Ukraine holds a large semi-arid desert area of dunes: Oleshky Sands. These were also formed glaciers— the sand blowing off the glaciers. And, wouldn’t you know it, their dunes are famous for 4-wheel drive sport driving.
We are one human race. We are more similar than different. Please spread hope for the people of Ukraine and the people of Russia. Here’s an article in the Seattle Times of how you can help. Update: And an article How to Talk to Kids about Ukraine.
And the dunes? Similar processes—- so that helped me write a poem— a poem based on similarities from two very different areas of the world.
A Slice of Life Poem for Ukraine and Us
Dunes
Residual,
Sheri Edwards
A glacial
dust and deposit: silt—
speck by speck: built—
in arid clime, gusts
dunes build up
Flowing grains
Even after war: still,
they will
remain.
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Poetry/Photography