Amberlin Wu is an artist, activist, and urban farmer. Prior to contracting myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), she trained as a professional dancer and she was studying to become a doctor. Now, 17 years later, no longer able to leave the house, she channels her enthusiasm for life into the small urban farm that was once her backyard and creates art for ME/CFS awareness fundraising. Amberlin wrote this poem in response to a prompt. And this poem prompted Ray Sharp to send in his picture of a place in Ecuador very near the spot described here.
Ecuador
By Amberlin Wu
By Amberlin Wu
Waterfall spatter
across my sun shined face
riding past the craggy granite
in the wild rainforest
With heavenly wings
I am a dandelion seed
carrying precious wishes on wind
a floating feather
dancing in the spray
of cold Ecuadorian clean
Racer back tank
camel back bag
I stand to lean into the pedals
“Let’s go faster!”
A memory
my memory
of before
living under the shelter
of down and linens
Propped pillows and a laptop.
It’s soot colored clouds outside.
The window pane says
“Brrr, it’s cold.”
I guess I’ll stay in
maybe check the forecast.
Photo courtesy of Ray Sharp, 2011.
quite a layered evocation. very nicely done.