Synkroniciti is pleased to welcome back poet Merryn Rutledge, residing in the Boston area, with a two part poem, “Indigenous Art” exploring art on view at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2023. The first part, “Earth, Breath, Water, Fire” was inspired by a documentary film on bowl-making and celebrates indigenous knowledge of and connection with land and the elements. “Each bowl holds the shape of hands/ cupped to receive or make an offering.” The reverence and sustainability that gird this tradition are enviable in our single-serving, disposable society. The second half, “Figure and Ground” is a meditation on black and white patterning seen on some indigenous pottery, reflecting also on the colonization of north America by Spaniards who failed to appreciate the cultures they encountered, seeing them as natural resources rather than people. “The foreigners sup from etched and painted pottery/that plays across borders—black patterns on white backgrounds,/ each bowl also reading as white design on black geometry—// if the beholders know the art of seeing.” Merryn’s poetry is clear-eyed but subtle, seeking out the wonder of indigenous tradition. There is so much we can learn from others if we allow ourselves to nurture a respectful curiosity. You might remember that Merryn was the winner of our “Curiosity” Poetry contest. It is no surprise that her curiosity is once again illuminating and invaluable.
Read “Indigenous Art” in Synkroniciti’s “Belonging” issue, available here: https://synkroniciti.com/the-magazine/purchase-individual-issues/.
Merryn Rutledge’s poems have appeared widely. Her newest book of poetry is Sweet Juice and Ruby-Bitter Seed (Kelsay Books, May, 2023), available here. She enjoys teaching poetry craft, supporting fellow writers by reviewing their books, singing, dancing, and working for social justice causes. Writing is Merryn’s third career, after teaching literature, film studies, and creative writing at Phillips Exeter Academy, and then running a leadership development consulting firm.
Merryn lives near Boston and the seashore, where long, horizon-filled walks feed her soul. Please visit her website, merrynpoetry.org, and follow her on Twitter.