The Seeker Ascends

by Merle Nudelman

  Roused to tangerine,

  organized by ovals you are pattern

  repeating, combining,

  passing through other gates, dawn’s horizon,

  the circular linear bending infinity.

  Notes

  “The Endless Once” was created from lines from “The Last

  Chanukah” and “One” both of which appear in True as Moonlight (Guernica Editions, 2014). Phrases in italics are quotations from Tehillim (Psalms) 119, Tehillim 37, Tehillim 135, and Tehillim 107.

  Davidson-Palmer, J. Blue Vase and Flowers, 2013. Oil on canvas, 37 x 11 inches.

  Goering, B. Night/Day … Day/Night, 2013. Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 18 inches.

  Weaver, W. Blues: It doesn’t matter which way is up, 2013. Acrylic on paper, 32 x 24 inches.

  Payzant, M. L. Snail 2, 2013. Acrylic on canvas, 8 x 10 inches.

  Watt, W. Tea Time, 2014. Acrylic on canvas, 11.5 x 11.5 inches.

  Wendy, W. In the distance, 2014. Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 30 inches.

  Goering, B. Falling Leaves, 2013. Mixed media monoprint, 13 x 10 inches.

  The italicized lines in the poem “Life Dream” are from Act II, Scene VII of the play As You Like It by William Shakespeare.

  Read, G. Untitled, 2013. Acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 inches.

  Payzant, M. L. Fear of Falling #4, 2014. Acrylic on canvas, 18 x 14 inches.

  Jongeward, C. Proclaim, 3013. Pigment, acrylic on linen, 19.5 x 19.5 inches.

  Acknowledgements

  There are many wonderful people whom I wish to thank for their help with this book.

  To Luciana Ricciutelli, Editor-in-Chief, Innana Publications, for her sage advice and to Inanna Publications for supporting my work, my deepest gratitude.

  To Clara Blackwood, John Oughton, Mary Lou Soutar-Hynes, Sheila Stewart, and Elana Wolff, fellow members of the Long Dash Group, for their insightful feedback on several of the poems in this

  collection, many many thanks.

  To Laura Lush, Ruth Panofsky, and Elana Wolff for their support, my heartfelt thanks.

  To Mary Lou Payzant for the cover painting, Fear of Falling #4, to John Oughton for his photograph of Mary Lou’s painting, and to Barbara Bender for my portrait photo, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

  To my husband Harold for his unwavering devotion and to my dear family and friends, my abiding love and gratitude.

  Several of the poems in this collection were inspired or influenced by the work of the following artists who are Studio Artists of the Women’s Art Association of Canada: Mary Lou Payzant, Judith Davidson-Palmer, Wendy Weaver, Wenda Watt, Beryl Goering, Carolyn Jongeward, and Gail Read. My sincere gratitude to all of you.

  Thanks as well to the editors of the following publications in which some of these poems have appeared: Literary Review of Canada; in education, Volume 20, No. 2; The Love of Tea Magazine; Poetic Inquiries of Reflection and Renewal; Poetic Inquiry: Enchantment of Place, and The League of Canadian Poets Tree Anthology.

  Photo: Barbara Bender

  Merle Nudelman is an award-winning poet, educator, and lawyer. She has published four books of poetry: Borrowed Light (2003), We, the Women (2006), The He We Knew (2010), and True as Moonlight (2014). Her first collection, Borrowed Light, won the 2004 Canadian Jewish Book Award for Poetry. Her poetry has been published in literary journals, anthologies, and zines. Her essays appear in Poetic Inquiries of Reflection and Renewal (2017) and in Poetic Inquiry: Enchantment of Place (2017). Merle teaches memoir and poetry writing and gives workshops on healing through writing. She lives in Toronto.