Half Immersed: a favorite poem, part 1 (edit 02/04) - Chetta Achara's Blog

If I could catch a wave
as it flows toward shore
I would hold its sparkling coolness
cupped within my hand,
Watch it shimmer without spilling

Until I splashed it high up to the sky
to form starry flakes of filigree
to float down upon my upturned face
to feel to taste to drink to savor

As I savor love
which I hold shimmering,
cupped within my hands
...and then let go.

~by Ali Jarvenpa
from "Half Immersed"

I was unable to find much information about the poet. All I found was 1) a blurb about her book Half Immersed and Other Poems and 2) her obituary.

1) Aili Jarvenpa's poems give the reader an insight into the joys of a tender childhood on a Minnesota farm with her Finnish-immigrant parents. 

2) Aili Jarvenpa, 1918 - 2002, passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's. She was preceeded in death by her husband, Oliver Jarvenpa. She was survived by three children.. She was a University of Minnesota graduate and worked as a teacher. A respected poet, translator and editor, she also wrote/edited seven books and was very involved in promoting Finnish culture.

Copies of her book Half Immersed and Other Poems are hard to find. I did find two copies on Amazon. One was available for $10, the other for more that $300. I guess you know which one I bought!

Two of her other books are available at Thrift Books: AiliJarvenpa