Sirocco Sands

Summary

Trisha Traughber recounts the experience of cross-country skiing amidst a Saharan sandstorm that inspired a found poem reflecting on the beauty and surrealism of the event.

Abstract

The web content describes a personal experience of the author, Trisha Traughber, who went cross-country skiing and encountered a phenomenon where Saharan sand was carried by the wind to dust the snow with a golden hue. This encounter led to the creation of a found poem, which captures the essence of the Sahara Desert's unexpected visitation to a distant land. The poem and accompanying narrative evoke the image of the Sahara as a dancer, swept away by the winds, coloring the landscape with its presence. The author also references an article from Le Monde that explains the natural occurrence, reassuring readers that the golden cloud cover is not an apocalyptic event but a beautiful anomaly. The experience and the poem are a testament to finding inspiration in the environment and daily life, as well as an opportunity for the author to expand her vocabulary in French.

Opinions

The author finds beauty in the unexpected phenomenon of Saharan sand in the French sky, which is poetically compared to the Sahara Desert paying a visit.
The golden hue of the snow, resulting from the sand, is likened to a dancer's veil, suggesting a sense of mystery and allure.
The article from Le Monde is cited to provide a rational explanation for the event, distinguishing it from any doomsday scenario and highlighting its natural beauty.
The author embraces the challenge of writing a found poem using words from the news article, which allows the Sahara to "take on a life of her own" in the poem.
Trisha Traughber values the inspiration drawn from reading and everyday experiences, as well as the opportunity to learn new words in French.
The overall sentiment conveyed is one of wonder and appreciation for the interconnectedness of nature and the serendipitous moments that can spark creativity.

Poetry from the southern winds

Un ciel qui prend des tons ocre, chargé de sable, visage voilé, regard tamisé, Sahara, cette danseuse, emportée par les vents, et avec chaque baiser, teintant de jaune nos joues nimbées.

A sky that takes tones ocher, loaded with sand, face veiled, gaze sifted, Sahara, this dancer, carried away by the winds, and with every kiss, tinting our haloed cheeks yellow.

This is a found poem that I wrote after I went out cross country skiing and found myself watching sand sift down from the mountaintops and gliding over the gold-dusted snow. I kept thinking of the Sahara, finally, not so far from here. And how she paid us a visit early this year.

And when I came home and read the paper, there was an article in Le Monde about the entire phenomenon. No, it assures us, this glowing, golden cloud cover is not the apocalypse. When you know what it is, it’s kind of beautiful, actually…Skiing on the sands of another land.

I tried at first to use only words I found in this article, but then, Sahara took on a life of her own.

I also would like to say that finding a poem or story in my reading is one way I love to find inspiration…and that I learned to wield two new words in French that I otherwise would probably never dare to pick up.