His name often graces the Ponoka News’ letters to the editor pages but it also turns out George Jason is quite the poet.
Jason was recently awarded a gold medal for a poetry piece submitted to the Alberta 55 Plus Provincial Games. The games were held in Drumheller recently and for Jason, the win was a complete surprise.
Part of the love of writing comes out of a local writers’ group that meets on a monthly basis. “It’s been a place for me where we share things,” explained Jason.
He was approached by the organizers of the games to submit some work and while he was reluctant and almost didn’t enter, their perseverance paid off and he submitted a short piece.
“It’s a surprise that I came out of it and actually won something,” said Jason.
For him the writing group, which has been around since the 1980s or ’90s has been a source of inspiration. From poetry to memoires to fiction and fantasy, Jason says the group brings all sorts of ideas to the table.
Here is Jason’s winning poem:
Lilli dances and sways to the music,
like her father when he was her age.
She turns in circles,
claps her hands and smiles.
I smile back,
clap my hands.
Her eyes are relaxed, soft and loving.
I would like her to dance forever,
though she will stop at times.
something will distract her,
a word perhaps,
a circumstance or relationship,
will bend her path somewhere
from delight and joy she knows now,
to a graver, darker place
Where no consoling love exists.
I fear that darker graver place,
Of demons,
Born of privation,
Twisting souls
Into shadows
Of blinkered sight
Forever after,
Needing and searching
For healing and redeeming light.
I hope she will always dance,
Feeling the rhythm,
In the heart’s embodied heat,
And the body’s slow, deep, grounding breath,
Where life is closer than her fingertips
And no further than her dancing feet.
George Jason