“Outer Coast Aubade” by Kersten Christianson

From sea to sky
blue heron stretches,

pulls at the strings
of the harvest moon

tugs the night closed
like a shade.

Oh heron, stretch
and pluck wayward stars

Drop them in my clam
bucket, so they clang

like metal spoons,
so that I may take them home

and one by one bestow
my wishes in hushed

night tones. Spoon and
chowder and stars. Oh, heron,

promise me an open
window. Promise me the dawn.

Kersten Christianson is a raven-watching, moon-gazing Alaskan. When not exploring the summer lands and dark winter of the Yukon, she lives in Sitka, Alaska. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing (University of Alaska Anchorage).  Kersten is the author of two books of poetry:  What Caught Raven’s Eye (Petroglyph Press, 2018) and Something Yet to Be Named (Aldrich Press, 2017).  She is also the poetry editor of the quarterly journal, Alaska Women Speak.  www.kerstenchristianson.com