Polished
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Polished
As broken glass after a million waves have crashed against the beach Or the ship’s hull, pushed over 10,000 horizons by 10,000 winds
As the steps of the monastery traveled by eight centuries of monks Or this bar top buffed by six generations of tired, heavy elbows
As polished as the log over the manger where 20 generations of pack Mules have rubbed their hungry necks Or the cliff walls brushed by 40 millenia of wind
Even jagged granite is smoothed by the river’s constant flowing
Be not as the glacier’s grinding weight, which, as it retreats only shatters, Only crushes. The secret is be gentle and unceasing
As polished as the handle of my walking staff after 40 days in the desert Or the handles of my oars after five seasons on the river
Or the speech I deliver; why I must, once again, be leaving
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
Polished is a collection of poems born from more than thirty years of exploring and wandering the wild trails and rivers of the Colorado Plateau. Collectively, the poems paint an exuberant, image-rich story of a curious, observant young man seeking moments of wonder and beauty in his wild backyard. Sometimes reverent, sometimes joyful; always colorful and vivid.
About the Author
Steven Law is a columnist for The Daily Herald, writing Gone, essays of his outdoor adventures. An avid backpacker and river runner, he worked eight seasons as a Grand Canyon river guide for Wilderness River Adventures, completing more than seventy trips. He lives in northern Arizona with his wife, Dana.