POETRY 2024: Positive Space by Laurelyn Sayah

Send us Fan Mail Positive Space by Laurelyn Sayah Another big issue for our little town was a grant for new logos we couldn’t turn down. It’s not easy to pick just one image, we found, for a spot known as special the whole world around. With so many good folks and happenings in this place, the first shape put a frown on everybody’s face. We were all united by what we didn’t like, but then told each other to go take a hike. The debacle was reported by the Mountain Ear, which brought forth ideas, so let’s give them a cheer. An artist thought of special places she’s known, and what was in common with the one she calls home. It’s the journey to get here, the beauty and friendships, the desire to stay despite nature’s hardships. So she tried out a sketch to capture that sense, hoping to ease a discourse gone tense. Then other designers gave it a trace, and a positive meaning for negative space. After some changing of lines that were blurred, the shape of the landscape turned into a bird! ...or maybe a dragon, or the dove on peace signs, or a phoenix rising up from frozen dead designs. Step back and look closer, whatever the feather, what you see is resulting from working together, and from difficult process, but now that it’s done, let’s enjoy the efforts, because everybody won. Use the moose and the bear for stickers on your car, or make into boops, (whatever those are). Taglines on t-shirts would look great in black, and at least we don’t have to give grant money back. Best not to get stuck on what might offend when we face many more big decisions to attend. We’re still shoveling out, and soon we’ll be weeding, so helping each other is what we are needing. There’s so much here to be grateful for, and spiraling uplift will make even more Spring is here Nederland! So get out in the sun, Change up the clocks, and let’s all have some fun! Our theme song is courtesy of singer-songwriter Brittney Wagner. Stream her record Better off Dead here. Support the show Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below. If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact: Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chief, at [email protected] Tyler Hickman, multimedia producer, at [email protected] Jamie Lammers, podcast host, at [email protected] General inquiries: [email protected] Head to our website for all of the latest news. Subscribe to The Mountain-Ear in print and online. Submit local events to promote them in the paper and on our website. Find us on Facebook @mtnear and Instagram @mtn.ear Listen and watch on YouTube today. Share this podcast by scrolling to the bottom of our website home page or by heading to our main hub on Buzzsprout. Thank you for listening!