DIVINE SONG
for St. Hildegard von Bingen
The blessed, (the divine)
as seen in the eyes
of cautious Black Bear
crossing the fields
of dry stalks
as autumn hints
at the deep sleep
(soon) brought by winter
& the silence of divine song
can be heard after Crow
ceases his calling,
resting (wings folded)
on a branch
of a great white oak.
As both a poet and a Friend (Quaker), I have learned to discern and respond to leadings as they emerge. I have often heard these referred to as the callings of the Muse. In my attempts to translate these moments into something tangible or concrete, I seek to find the most potent words and phrases, distilling them down to their truest meaning and sound. In this collection, I have intentionally avoided the use of traditional religious language to better express and share my experience of the mystery of the Christ that dwells within all of nature as stated in Saying #77 of the Gospel of Thomas, “Lift the stone, I am there, split the log, I am there, also!” In these times, where better to find refuge and be present with the Christ than within the perfection of creation.
Derek Polzer has lived through turbulent times, both personal and social, and is sometimes called an “old voice.” He’s sailed the length of the Hudson River, climbed mountains in New York and New England, and paddled and fished gentle waterways in his home state of New Jersey. Polzer has built banjos, pieces of furniture, and has sculpted in both wood and metal. Polzer and his wife have two sons. He’s been a Quaker for nearly five decades, a place where his poetry has been nurtured.
Title: She Sings the Earth
Author: Derek Polzer
Publisher: Rockwood Press
Released: 2026 - October
Format: chapbook, acid-free paper, silk cover
Pages: 54
Price: $10
ISBN: 978-1-59498-257-6
DIVINE SONG
for St. Hildegard von Bingen
The blessed, (the divine)
as seen in the eyes
of cautious Black Bear
crossing the fields
of dry stalks
as autumn hints
at the deep sleep
(soon) brought by winter
& the silence of divine song
can be heard after Crow
ceases his calling,
resting (wings folded)
on a branch
of a great white oak.
As both a poet and a Friend (Quaker), I have learned to discern and respond to leadings as they emerge. I have often heard these referred to as the callings of the Muse. In my attempts to translate these moments into something tangible or concrete, I seek to find the most potent words and phrases, distilling them down to their truest meaning and sound. In this collection, I have intentionally avoided the use of traditional religious language to better express and share my experience of the mystery of the Christ that dwells within all of nature as stated in Saying #77 of the Gospel of Thomas, “Lift the stone, I am there, split the log, I am there, also!” In these times, where better to find refuge and be present with the Christ than within the perfection of creation.
Derek Polzer has lived through turbulent times, both personal and social, and is sometimes called an “old voice.” He’s sailed the length of the Hudson River, climbed mountains in New York and New England, and paddled and fished gentle waterways in his home state of New Jersey. Polzer has built banjos, pieces of furniture, and has sculpted in both wood and metal. Polzer and his wife have two sons. He’s been a Quaker for nearly five decades, a place where his poetry has been nurtured.
Title: She Sings the Earth
Author: Derek Polzer
Publisher: Rockwood Press
Released: 2026 - October
Format: chapbook, acid-free paper, silk cover
Pages: 54
Price: $10
ISBN: 978-1-59498-257-6
