POETS’ CORNER: BRIDGER “CONSUMED” BY VALENTINE’S DAY

11 Feb POETS’ CORNER: BRIDGER “CONSUMED” BY VALENTINE’S DAY

Editor’s Note: Kierstin Bridger is the 2011 winner of Telluride Arts’ Mark Fischer Poetry Prize and a subsequent judge. She is also a regular contributor to Telluride Inside… and Out. Usually the edgiest, often the darkest member of our family of fabulous writers/poets, which includes Word Woman Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, “Feelasophy” major David Feela, county commissioner Art Goodtimes, Telluride Film Festival’s Erika Gordon. On Sunday we began posting their their heartfelt thoughts for the holiday. As for Bridger, well, she’s consumed.

Consumed

The wolf in the kitchen
is actually just the oven with a view.
It reflects the hunger of the inhabitants,
through the pendant lights,
through the course
of dentritic winter branch,
the game trail outside.

Even the snow,
not a trace of blood,
clean as a salted pullet,
pure as the pale profile:
my daughter reading valentines,
a violet heart melting MY DEAR
on her pulsing tongue.