{"product_id":"_blueta","title":"The blue line, by Tracy Ahrens","description":"\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePoetry, chapbook, 36 pages, from \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b00ff;\" data-mce-style=\"color: #2b00ff;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bottlecap.press\/collections\/bottlecap-features\" style=\"color: #2b00ff;\" target=\"_blank\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/bottlecap.press\/collections\/bottlecap-features\" data-mce-style=\"color: #2b00ff;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBottlecap Features\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMy poem “Wind and water,” which I began writing while sitting on Peterson Beach along Lake Michigan, was a catalyst for this body of work. The poem was written as my uncle was dying due to cancer. He lived several miles away from where I sat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA friend of my uncle told me that his family asked him why he wanted to live in upper Michigan. His friend told me, “The wind and water are all I need.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eI began following a social media page that showcased photos of the beautiful surroundings in that area. One day someone posted a painting of the lake and a harbor where my uncle and I visited. In that painting was a blue line depicted across the water. It made me think of the blue line noted in my poem, the line on the horizon where sky and water meet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe artist, David Stradal, reached out to me and our relationship began. David has a cottage on a bluff overlooking the lake just a few miles south of where I sat writing “Wind and water.” He gave me the painting that connected us. It is featured on the cover of this chapbook.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWind and water endlessly fuel and shape life. Likewise, David and I continue to shape each other into something more beautiful together than when we stood alone. Love is the constant blue line on the horizon that we hold on to as we evolve. These poems were written during our first year together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTracy Ahrens lives just south of Chicago, Illinois and has been a journalist\/writer for over 30 years. She has published nine books, including two non-fiction works, five children’s books and two books of poetry. As of 2024 she had earned 120 writing awards. See her website at www.tracyahrens.weebly.com.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tracy Ahrens","offers":[{"title":"Chapbook","offer_id":49128844329275,"sku":"_BLUETA","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (PDF)","offer_id":49128844362043,"sku":"_BLUETAe","price":7.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0062\/4420\/4614\/files\/linefront.png?v=1720046044","url":"https:\/\/bottlecap.press\/products\/_blueta","provider":"Bottlecap Press","version":"1.0","type":"link"}