Support 100 years of independent journalism.

  1. Culture
  2. Poetry
28 September 2022

The NS Poem: Leelanau

A new poem by Taylor Strickland.

By Taylor Strickland

i.m. John Martin 

Cherryless orchards uncoil to winter.
Shanties rank with whitefish, the river’s
creaky docks. He knew every trap-net tug
by their wakes: long, dwindling epilogues
written across the lake. He would smile,
Ohio State-red dimples below calm
esquire’s eyes, watching through the window
their leeward work. His error and wound:
Leelanau was ‘delight of life’… He half-
laughed knowing how often lake turns to lack
and takes after the sky after the sky turns grey,
after the Great Lake freighters ply
January, whose second, greater blank
outgrew the pane in which he saw himself.

Taylor Strickland is an American poet based in Glasgow. His pamphlet “Commonplace Book” will be published by Broken Sleep Books in October

[See also: The NS Poem: Floral Tribute]

Select and enter your email address Quick and essential guide to domestic and global politics from the New Statesman's politics team. A weekly newsletter helping you fit together the pieces of the global economic slowdown. The New Statesman’s global affairs newsletter, every Monday and Friday. The New Statesman’s weekly environment email on the politics, business and culture of the climate and nature crises - in your inbox every Thursday. Our weekly culture newsletter – from books and art to pop culture and memes – sent every Friday. Your guide to the best writing across politics, ideas, books and culture - both in the New Statesman and from elsewhere - sent each Saturday. A newsletter showcasing the finest writing from the ideas section, covering political ideas, philosophy, criticism and intellectual history - sent every Wednesday. Sign up to receive information regarding NS events, subscription offers & product updates.
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Content from our partners
A better future starts at home
How to create an inclusive workplace and embrace neurodiversity
Universal Credit falls short of covering the bare essentials. That needs to change

This article appears in the 28 Sep 2022 issue of the New Statesman, The Truss Delusion