“An Ode to the Sky” by Catherine Clark

September 25th

It did not rain today like the weathermen predicted. 

At least not enough to be a “light shower,” 

yet each drop felt like the pinprick of a kiss on my skin – 

a million little kisses from the sky 

to let me know that she was misty eyed too.

God’s Gift 2.0

The sun felt different to me now. 

Most days I hate the heat-

it feels like a passive assault from the sun, 

but this morning 

(and many to come, so it turns out) 

I was able to appreciate the warmth 

and sticky air on my skin.

 It was the closest thing to a hug that I felt in a long time. 

I imagined the sun’s rays were fingers, 

reaching down from outer space to caress my face. 

The dense air, a weighted blanket draping over me. 

What does it mean,

to find solace in the most impersonal aspects of nature?

(Surely, the sun shines on everyone, right?)

Lady Midnight

I am convinced that the night 

can love me better than humans do

sometimes I imagine 

that I can bring the stars down to earth

that I can let them come alive 

and die again on my fingertips.

I imagine that my secrets can die there too

the second I speak them aloud they’ll become futile

they’ll turn to stardust and scatter in the night gale

the shadows can wrap around me like a quilt

and I can find solace in the darkness and stillness. 

Truth be told, I’d paint the whole sky black if I could

I’d claim the moon as my crown 

and roam the Earth through the dark forever

if it meant that I could find a home in the quiet.

if it meant that I might glow amongst it all.

Morning Person 

I am a morning person now

I wake up before the sun

open up all the blinds and curtains wide

and wait for the light to pour in

for the sky to cast ribbons 

of lilac and amber

as if the honeyed brilliance is a gift

from God Himself

a reward for enduring the horrors of the night

Tomorrow morning I’ll rise even sooner

to bid the moon farewell

and drink in the crisp air

scent the dewed blades of grass beneath me

I’ll sit in the quiet without fear

for how can I have wasted a day 

that has not even begun?

tomorrow I’ll listen closely

as the whole town awakes

I’ll let God sing to me 

through the birds and the breeze

maybe I’ll join Him this time

There is a different type of peace, I suppose

in existing in spaces that feel like a secret.

These four poems by Catherine Clark were written over the span of three years. They are a chronological exploration into how her relationship with nature has changed at different points in her life. Catherine is a 2023 Biomedical Engineering major in the Honors College. In the month of November and continuing into December, 186 South College is posting creative work from guest writers in the Honors College as a celebration of National Novel Writing Month. If you or someone you know in the Honors College would like to share their work as a guest writer like Catherine, we are still accepting submissions at this link:

https://forms.gle/4ndt2yzK1mcwfdP67