This week’s Deep Water poem, “Welcome Home,” by Gary Lawless, is about America – not its politics or borders, but the expansive land and waters where we make our home. In “Welcome Home,” which recently appeared in Cove Street Gallery’s “I Am An American” exhibit in Portland, Lawless shares an essential vision of America the beautiful: diverse, dynamic and wide open.

Lawless is co-owner of Gulf of Maine Books in Brunswick, and a widely published poet, with 20 published collections in the U.S. and five in Italy. Originally from Belfast, he lives in Nobleboro.

Welcome Home

By Gary Lawless
for Leonard Meiselman

What is the face of America –

Granite, limestone, rock face

Upthrust delta rich

Soil and deep forest

Swift rivers flowing

Deep ice and first peoples

Where are the borders

Mountain, river, glacier’s edge

Everything moving

Wind water night sky stars

Great flocks flying

Great schools swimming

Great herds moving

Crossing, crossing

Touching the edge of ice

Seeds on the breeze

In sunlight

Put your roots down and

You are welcome here

Megan Grumbling is a poet and writer who lives in Portland. Deep Water: Maine Poems is produced in collaboration with the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance. “Welcome,” copyright © 2021 by Gary Lawless.