Queen Anne’s Lace shimmers,
a caesura between green fields
And blue summer skies.
I hope everyone will forgive me for my attempt at haiku at the start of this week’s column. My second line has one syllable too many, but I can’t decide what to take out. I love the word and intention of “caesura.” Even though it has a literary and grammatical meaning, it suits my intended image perfectly. “Between green fields” has a lilting sound to it that “between fields” loses, although that is the obvious word to remove. So, although not technically a haiku, there it is.
I attended Dionis Coffin Riggs Day of Poetry readings at the West Tisbury library last Friday, the inspiration for my attempt at haiku, and the example for setting one at the beginning of a West Tisbury column. Mrs. Riggs wrote the column for the Gazette for many years.
Mrs. Riggs’ granddaughter and namesake, Dionis Montrowl, and several of the Cleaveland House Poets read from Mrs. Riggs’ books as we sat in a circle outside. It was a lovely hour of words and language, of a shared interest, and a regard for one of our Island’s most revered poets.
It was an outing after the long COVID year, surrounded by other people, maskless, and mostly unconcerned. Susan Puciul prefaced her reading by saying, “I think I speak for us all that I’m so grateful that we can be here together.” I should have said at the beginning that I am not a member of the Cleaveland House Poets, only a poetry appreciator who attended the reading. Still, I shared the sentiment of Susan’s comment, and wrote in my notes that “I wanted to weep with gratitude for my community, for people I have known for years, for acquaintances and friends, for smiles and other shared memories and history.” It feels like forever since I have been anywhere recreational, intellectual, and creative.
Brooks Robards gave me a copy of the newly published “In the Company of Poets, Cleveland House Poets Anthology 2021.” I have spent too much time reading from it instead of working on this column, but it has been a pleasant pastime, and I recommend the book.
Having been somewhat sprung from COVID solitude, the rest of the weekend was filled with visits to galleries and visits with friends. I attended the 50th anniversary party at the Field Gallery, which I am writing about in a separate article for this week’s newspaper, so I will only say here that it was a perfect West Tisbury event.
Next was a visit to see Ruth Kirchmeier’s always-beautiful garden and to grab Ruth for our annual visit to see Allen Whiting’s new paintings at the Davis House. We arrived during a lull in other visitors, so we had Allen all to ourselves for some art talk, then time to look at the paintings once other people arrived. Ruth and I both responded to some of the more abstract and loosely brushed shapes in some of Allen’s new work. We both picked out our favorites, which led to the delicious conversations that artists love to indulge in when looking at art.
Then we went on to the Granary, expressly to see Jeanne Staples’ show. Besides the landscapes and notable landmark subjects that Jeanne so ably renders in striking light, she had some figurative paintings of children jumping into the water, rendered mid-air, a moment caught. There was lots to look at and we looked at everything.
Looking at art, making art, reading about art, talking about art, all the best ways to spend time.
The summer edition of Arts & Ideas has just come out. There is a wonderful article about Johnny Athearn, his watercolors, and his family home on Music Street. That story and reading about the inception of the Field Gallery will give everyone a lesson in West Tisbury history.
Martha’s Vineyard Democrats will meet on Zoom this Saturday morning, August 14, from 9:30 to 11 am. Besides the regular reading of minutes and housekeeping articles, the agenda includes two special guests. Chris Dempsey is the Democratic candidate for state auditor. His website is dempseyforauditor.com. He will talk about the office of auditor and its importance as a regulatory and oversight agency. Ben Downing is running for governor. He will be an interesting candidate because of his work to mitigate the effects of climate change and to develop renewable energy for Massachusetts. His website is benformass.com.
My thanks to Ann Burt and family for their decision to sell Ann’s property to the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank. It is one of the prettiest places I know. The Tiasquam River edges along the back of the property, dividing the lawn from a woody bank. In the spring, the length of it is covered with daffodils that Ann has planted over the years. There are other beautiful plantings. It has always felt like a special secret to me. I will miss knocking on Ann’s kitchen door for a chat, but otherwise know it will be a place of tranquility and succour to enjoy.
A week from today is the start of the Agricultural Fair. The sign is up along State Road. Many of us are readying projects, perfect vegetables and flower arrangements, honing skills, anticipating treats that are only available at the Fair. The anticipation and preparations last all year. Will you be ready?
Happy 2nd birthday this past Sunday, August 8, to Abby, the best puppy in the world.
If you have any West Tisbury Town Column suggestions, email Hermine Hull, hermine.hull@gmail.com.
