Charlene Long - Pathway to Memories

Thinking of my Mom and our shared memories led me to rediscover the poems of Canadian poet Pauline Johnson. Rereading her poems inspired me to create a series based on her works. Each painting was inspired by a specific passage from one of her poems or legends.

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Northern Skies Alive with Flames			And the wailing pine trees murmur with their voice attuned to hers

The seaweeds cling with flesh-like fingers. The rocks get shelter that the sands deny	August is laughing across the sky	With pools of purple colouring the skies	Beneath me far Where not a ripple moves to mar

The pools low lying, dank with mould. Glint through their mildews like large caps of gold	In forest arms the night will soonest creep	There are fires on Lulu Island and the sky is opalescent	Where the waterfalls and forest voice forever their duet

As cloud and colour blend at set of sun	Where the river mists are rising	The scent of burning leaves, the campfire blaze

What saw you on your flight today Crows, awinging your homeward way	Reflections from the gold and glowing light	And call across the fading silver night As something calls to me	Where the very silence slumbers Water Lillie’s grow in numbers

Where the rushes lift their burnished Oval heads from out the tarnished Emerald pool	To Salish waves that fling their spray	The far, far Trees that cover The brownish hills with needles green and gold	The rocks beneath your feet

Great has been the run	So gently creeps the morning through the heavy air	Uncertain clouds, half-high, suspend	The sun outbreaking in his farewell hour

Let me but feel the pulse of nature’s soul	And when at eventide the sun	Tonight the west o’er brims with warmest dyes	Sounds of the days of summer Murmur and die away

Alone, alone with God’s glory earth that seems