A Poet’s Hymn
One day a tree grew until
the ax drew
blood
and the tree became pulp
became paper
became poem
became crane
and flew away.
This flat life
thin as paper
wings words
a poet's hymn
and when folded fast
by fertile hands:
a frog
an owl
a crane
to fly away on bended wing
to seek at Least
10,000 words of peace
no voice
will utter save on soaring wing
a silent prayer
a wish to sing.
And so transformed
i fly
this once flat life
has died
in peace
as she who wings her words
a feast
and folds her hands
and then became
a sign of hope:
an origami crane.
Martha Sherick Shen is native to Iowa. Born into an academic family, she was labeled a slow learner years before dyslexia was understood. She did not read until she was 13 years old. Suddenly, reading became her world of wonder and writing became her expression. It was a private blossoming, however, since it did not change the way people saw her. After raising her daughters and divorcing, she earned a degree in Zoology from Iowa State University within a specialized program for Neuroscience and Physiological Psychology. She graduated with honors in 2003. She has continued to write poetry privately throughout her life. Martha currently lives in Des Moines, Iowa with her daughter’s family and her French Bulldog, Judah. This is Martha’s first published poem.