In March I hanker
for the fireweed huddled
in packed, frozen ground.
Like a red robin,
my ear imagines stirrings,
a humming refrain
beckoning green growth.
Tapping taproot, forked and branched.
A first sip of tea,
I want to observe
its annual emergence,
tender chutes straining
for light-lengthening skies, for
another round of wild growth.
Kersten Christianson
Alaskan Poet, Moon Gazer, Raven Watcher, Northern Trekker, Teacher. Kersten Christianson derives inspiration from wild, wanderings, and road trips. Kersten is the poetry editor of Alaska Women Speak. She has authored Curating the House of Nostalgia (Sheila-Na-Gig, 2020), What Caught Raven’s Eye (Petroglyph Press, 2018), and Something Yet to Be Named (Kelsay Books, 2017). Kersten lives with her daughter in Sitka, Alaska and enjoys road trips, bookstores, and smooth ink pens.