Kendall
Merriam was born and raised in Rockland, Maine. He has a history degree from
Gordon College in Wenham, MA and graduate studies in military and maritime
history at the University of Maine at Orono and Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Conn.
He also received grants to study historical research at Colonial Williamsburg
and the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Merriam has been widely
published, including in Katyn W Literaturze(Katyn in Literature), a Polish
anthology of literary works about the WWII Katyn Forest Massacre by 120
international authors, including Czeslaw Milosz. Merriam has written more than
twenty books and plays. Most of Merriam’s work has a definite muse – family,
friends, and strangers – with life’s larger themes of
work, love, loss and death. On April 29, 2010, Merriam was appointed Rockland,
Maine’s Inaugural Poet Laureate, an honor from his hometown Merriam cherishes.
A WARM MIND IN A COLD WORLD
For Kristin
You have met your goal
of making me famous
my computer is full
of compliments
I am sure people are asking
how I happened upon such
an intelligent, beautiful, farseeing
biographer
me, an old, moth-eaten
bear in this little town
that God remembered
yesterday, I was down
due to medical challenges
today, thanks to your
brilliantly humorous mind
life feels worth pursuing
now music sounds good again
the cheap Staples pen from Mexico
flows on the Clairefontaine paper
from France, listening
to music from Krakow
we have paid the oil bill
our cats have settled softly
across the room
and I feel very happy
thanks to you
Phyllis sent your message
across our aching earth
in hopes it will cheer this earth
give meaning to cooks, laborers, social workers
and, of course, all bears
Kendall Merriam, Home, 2/5/14 7:50 PM
Listening to Jascha Lieberman, “The Bats Gallery”
BLOOD BROTHERS
For Jane Karker
You said we will
die together
our blood counts all wrong
as a publisher
you have usurped
a male dominated trade
whereas as a poet
I have usurped nothing
but you make my books
look beautiful, professional
last time I saw you
you looked thin
but giving instructions
to a new writer over the phone
something you have done
time and again
we both have religion
in our blood
do you believe in Heaven?
sometimes I think
that’s where we are now
you look out your window
see hundreds of masts
I see a few less
but still both of us
gaze on harbor views
you will read this at Rustica
next Friday night
if I have the strength to type it
Kendall Merriam, Home, 2/1/14 9:04 PM
Listening to Jascha Lieberman “The Bats Gallery”
CHALICE MOON
For Brooke
As we went uptown tonight
themoon was brilliant orange
through layers of clouds
now out the window
its silver
partially covered with lace
as I have told you
selfishly
that I wish you would stay
here in Maine
so I could see the brilliance
of your smile
and your slim beauty
but I know you have to go
where you will bless others
and get between them
and the grizzlies---HA! HA!
helping young people
to understand life
is Holy work
but it can be fun
I don’t much go to wild places
as I did growing
in this same—moon bathed house
when you read “Blue Fox”
in the book I gave you today
you will understand
what mysteries I once had
and now have lost
but you can take up these
mysteries
and explain them to the citizens
of a listening earth!
Love, Kendall
Kendall Merriam, Home,
1/17/14 10:57 PM
Listening to the gentle sounds
of the furnace
CHRISTINA’S SONG
For
Christina at S. E. G.
Beauty at the South End Grocery
cheering the hearts
of both fishermen and poets
running the register
making sandwiches and pizza
for those who don’t know how
or don’t have time
or just want
to see your lovely face
it is a brilliantly sunny day
warm enough to enjoy the walk
past the kids sliding
on Mechanic Street
near where I did
the same thing
more than 60 years ago
I get the energy for
the trip through time
with the same kind of candy bars
that fed both mind & body
but you are the bonus
very good to see live
which I carry in my mind
for days afterward
you say you keep
all my poems and books
do you know what that means
to a poet?
to be remembered by a sensitive,
beautiful woman
a true muse!
Kendall Merriam, Home, 2/16/14
Listening to a CD
of “Fleetwood Mac”.
COMMUNICATION
For Jasmin
You turned my anger to pleasure
when you straightened out the problem
a service I’m sure
Amazon cannot duplicate
Once they wanted
one of my books
I said “No” to the lady
ten minutes later
an Amazon man called
he said, “Do you realize what Amazon is?”
“Perfectly” I replied, “but
you are still not getting
any of my books, which took
half a life time to write.”
Then I hung up.
You are a very good representative
ofyour company
and the tiny city of Rockland
your voice is kind
both businesslike
and caring
so I will be ordering more CDs
through Barnes & Noble
I gave away most of my CDs
to someone who needed them
my cousin, Steve, gave me his
turntable and I am haunting
Goodwill to add to my
collection of LPs
between those and you
I’ll write for years!
Kendall Merriam, Home, 2/15/14 6:15 PM
Listening to “Northern Stars---A Canadian Singers &
Songwriters Collection”
IN HANNAFORDS
For Holly
I did not know your mother
But she must have been
A terrific person
To raise a daughter
As sensitive and beautiful as you
And in turn you have raised
Marshall and Ivy
To be intelligent and excellent in sports
Something the Merriams
are not known for for the most part
we don’t see you much
only when I shop
inHannafords
and feel a tap on my shoulder
hear a sweet voice
I turn to see your lovely face
Topped by your lovely
Curly blonde hair
And here I think to myself
I can give a poem
That I have folded
In my pocket
Without fear of rejection
Knowing you will read it
And probably like it
Because you are your mother’s
Daughter, a very good daughter
And bless the Merriam family
Kendall Merriam, Home, 12/28/13 12:42 PM
Listening to Ray Charles
“Forever”
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