Nursery Opens April 15

POETRY 2010

Shang-Lin Park

Hand written poem in 18 stanzas bound in book form

This is an epic poem describing the Sacramento River Canyon by its scientific and marvelous features. Occidental and Oriental phrases are juxtaposed and blended in a slightly real and slightly fantastical manner. References to Buddhism (Pure Land) and Taoism (Jade Emperor) lead into a lengthy catalogue of all the creeks and tributaries emptying into the mighty Sacramento River all the way to the blue Pacific. Frequent references are made to the Mountain Mother, the Source, Mount Shasta herself.
Every type of conifer and deciduous trees, the fish, salamanders, frogs and insects is described in their habitats along with chi dragons and immortals: the geology and the birds, the climate, the flowers and ferns, railroad bridges and natural and native foods, the four seasons and the constellations, glaciers and mammals, mythical and mystical places and animals, the people who live there and the sounds and fragrance of the place.
“Sleeping among the clouds, I awake from a dusky dream
“With a long sigh I lean on the perilous railing
“Little by little I feel the morning light lifting
“Utterly forgotten now the cold fog of the dawning.”
Xiao Qifu 20th Century
This poem is written in kanji in strips on both sides of the paintings. Van Gogh discovered this method of changing the proportions of the standard western canvas to the more vertical oriental proportions.
The paintings tell the story of the Sacramento River from the factual, literal, dualism of naturalism (realism) of French Impressionism to the objectivity and spiritual values of Abstract Modernism.

1

Have you heard?
There is a Pure Land of the Jade Emperor—
To the east Girard Ridge,
To the west the Trinity Wilderness,
On the south the Great Valley,
On the north the Mountain Mother.


In the Style of Shang-Lin Park complete version.

file from Cheryl Petty on Vimeo.

Horned Dragon Style
Sprayed me with chi
Sound of wind in conifers
Feel at home here

Horned Dragon Corylis
Leaves me breathless
Once wire is wound
Our chi blended wood with metal

4/12/2003

Pinkcherryblossom
Petalsalongwet
Marginsof spring
Snow like flower
Like snow white
Past under diamond
Clustered chartreuse quartz
Avoid treacherous envy
New shriveled branchlets
Sere still cling

6/1/2003

Springs the sidewalk
Horsetail lapis behind
Of breeze pinpoint
Rose green away
Ways same sequoias