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 GOOSEDOWN LIFE
Until a year ago
our cats were semi-feral
sheltered in their insulated house
but still cold, subject to raids
by other cats, dogs
so we shanghaied them in
frightened at first
they kept under the furniture
and low to the floors
but now he is oblivious to us
she is a bit afraid
but they both sleep now
on our goosedown quilt
in early evening
and in other comfortable places
only going out when it is
above 40 degrees
abundant food, water and Frontline
keep them healthy
they are both striking animals
he wears a tuxedo
her calico patches
make her ready
for any fashion show
we wonder if they will
outlast our span
if they do
we will leave them
an inheritance so they will continue
to live a goosedown life
Kendall Merriam, Home, 2/8/14 8:32 PM
Listening to an LP Berlioz “Symphony Fantastique”
DAFFODILS IN MARCH
is a red elephant from India
bearing Irish green shamrocks
do we deserve these gifts of earth
assuming the breakout of war again
Inna has fete’t us with violet cabbage
and tan boiled sausages
can the border be crossed
one way or another
F-16s on the Polish line
the Russians yawning about Crimea
will Spring come in from the cold
no one understands the need for peace
all the Kings challenge each other
people do not remember
the magic four words
written by an old man
many years ago
“People want to live.”
Maybe if we could eat and sip
under the blessing of the brilliant colors
of earth, new war will not come
and we can live to our natural age
Kendall Merriam, 3/13/14
7:43 PM at Inna’s apartment
Listening to Inna and Phyllis talking
FINNISH MOON
she let me read Shakespeare
for extra credit
I’m sure one of them
was Romeo and Juliet
now there is no more
stone cutting, farming, just teaching
nursing, crime reporting
I also remember Kenny Ilvonen
finishing his degree after the Army
I see a sister or cousin
around town once in a while
I usually don’t say much
Stinging a bit
From never being invited
To sauna parties
Mr. Harjula was my 7th
grade teacher, an escapee
from a P. O. W. camp
he told and retold his story
every Friday afternoon
which I never forgot
and subsequently became
a war poet wishing for peace
my famous Katyn book
has two chapters left out
from the 4 hour writing
marathon at 4 Church Street
one, the possibility of Jews
one, the possibility of Finns
covered by this winter moon.
Kendall Merriam, Home, 3/15/14 8:17 PM
Listening to a C. D. by Fleetwood Mac
SPRING MOON—A FRAGMENT
For
all my friends wanting to put
Their
hands in the fertile earth
Do
you feel the urge
To
begin planting right now
On
this chilly March night
Not
thinking of possible chilblains
Just
glory
In
this gorgeous night
The
year has summed up winter
And
found it wanting
Except
for a storm and a half
I
wonder where all my friends
Are
watching this schooner of light
Scattered
across water and earth
Some
on water, some on mountaintops
It
is a lovely time for thinking
As
clouds pass overhead
Obscuring,
breaking open
I
flew to China today
Before
the moon rose over
Yellow
Crane Tower
I
saw beautiful women
Kendall
Merriam, Home, March 2013
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