Rhythm of Lake Jackson inspires poetry group
“Approximately one year ago, my husband and I moved into our new house on Lake Jackson.
We must have seen over 30 houses in just a few weeks, but nothing spoke to us until we stepped into our soon-to-be home and saw the most unbelievable view of the lake from the upstairs back deck. Both my husband and I were paralyzed for a minute, our mouths agape, then we ran downstairs and out the screened back porch into the vast glowing green. We could not believe what we were seeing.
So goes the mystery of Lake Jackson, hidden within a bustling small city with a big personality.
We said to our realtor (who just happens to live on the lake), “Why didn’t you tell us about this!” She shrugged her shoulders and smiled, like a child who had just revealed a wonderful secret. And now, after a year here I understand this peculiar attitude many lake residents have.
On the one hand, we want to share this amazing natural wonder in our backyards with everyone. We want to say, “Look, isn’t it spectacular, the eagles and Anhingas, the bullfrogs and bass, the bright white of the water lilies floating on the endless green and ever sparkling silver and blue.” But, on the other hand, we want to keep the lake all to ourselves, keep it as quiet and as intimate as possible, our very own private Eden in the midst of the mad marketplace of civilization.
But, of course, we, the residents, also want the lake to be protected, stay healthy and thrive. We want to improve it for everyone who uses it and loves it, which requires some attention and outreach. This is what moved me to join the Friends of Lake Jackson as soon as I unpacked my boxes.
Having come from the redwoods in Northern California, my husband and I were not sure we would ever find another place that would satisfy our need to live in the midst of nature and beauty. But Lake Jackson surpassed all of our expectations about what life in Tallahassee would be like.
And unlike the redwoods, which seem to stand still forever, looming over us like silent giants, Lake Jackson is always speaking directly to us, always changing right beside us, with every breath and shift of light, with every breeze and passing cloud. The fact that it could just disappear temporarily down a sinkhole at any moment only adds to the overall sense of ecstatic impermanence I feel as I stare out over the golden grasses and sigh with joy.
My husband and I felt a great need to share this wonderment. So, we started a poets residency program at our home on the lake and have been inviting poets from around the world to stay with us, get on the water, and learn all about Lake Jackson.
They will contribute some writing to go into an anthology of poetry, prose and photographs we hope to publish in the near future called, “On Lake Jackson.” The poets also visit local schools and give a class on poetry and ecology as well as read with local poets at the Black Dog on the Square. I always give a brief presentation about the lake and what the Friends of Lake Jackson are doing at these events.
We have also brought the local Tallahassee poets out to the lake who have never seen it. So far, like us, the poets have felt the magic too. There is something very special about this place. We all agree. Even though we know there are many beautiful lakes, rivers, and springs all over this unique region, Lake Jackson somehow speaks to each of us very personally.
From the glowing sunrises to the soft blush of a sunset, it never ceases to leave a strong emotional impression on us all.”
Terri Carrion co-founded, in 2011, the nonprofit organization 100 Thousand Poets for Change, which provides a platform for poets, writers and artists around the world who want to work towards peace, justice and sustainability through the arts. She is also Co-editor of BigBridge.org, an online arts magazine. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing at Florida International University in Miami. Terri Carrion is now on the board of directors of Friends of Lake Jackson.
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