Elizabeth Adam's Tribute to 'The Snow Child'

We recently read 'The Snow Child' by Eowyn Ivey and it made quite an impression on us. One of our book group members, Elizabeth Adams, is also a poet and she wrote this lovely tribute:

The Snow Child

A tale of wild woods
Alaska the last frontier
Distant mountains, frozen falls
Moose as large as houses
Martin's wild creatures like quicksilver
The otter quietly watched as his skill in the water
Gave such pleasure to Mabel, her secret
The red fox Faina's companion - quick
But not quick enough to escape Garret's thoughtless shot
Garret's guilt - what had made him shoot - just because he could
Magnificent swan - conquered - killed
The Snow Maiden using her skill
Nothing wasted - no foolish useless kill
The knowledge that she was watched - she kept
That to herself she worked skilfully - until
All that could be used - was
All that could be stored - was
Lessons to be learned - the child
Had watched - learned never to disturb
The magnificent gift of nature - never usurped
Like a gentle culling - twixt man and beast
Saving the best - but using some as feast
For those whose lives are intertwined
With nature - keeping a sanctuary
The beauty - the peace
Snow covered trails
That only a few can seek
The intimate knowledge that some can use
To make a path to happiness that can not be bruised
To smooth over hurts of the past - replaced with
The love of a child that will last - a reminder
Of his beguiling mother - knowing her loving
Will foreshorten her amazing life
Faina and Garrett their short lived love bringing a Joy
That will last in the annals of stories passed down
Through the years.

Elizabeth Adams




Here's Elizabeth with Library staff  Ellen and Nick at a reading from
'Treasure Island' on World Book Night



The Poet - Tree

Onchan Book Group had an opportunity to see artist Karl Garrett's 'Poet-Tree' at their meeting last Thursday. It's a tree trunk etched with poems to look like graffitti. As well as the hours it took to create the work, Karl wrote all the poems himself.

The 'Poet - Tree' really should be experienced  first-hand rather than photos. 

You will next have a chance to see The Poet - Tree  in The Henry Bloom Noble Library 18th  - 20th April.

Karl won The Norman Sayle Prize for Art in 2010, and you can visit his web site to view more of his work: http://garrettsgallery.webs.com/abouttheartist.htm