“This poem came about as I began playing with alliteration,” says Debra Kraft of Pinckney, Michigan.  “The recurring sound of the letter ‘s’ began to make me think of sand in a whispering wind, and ultimately of the dunes.  Over a period of months, I found myself adding words, changing words, and experimenting with formats until I finally arrived at the current version, which is intended to give the visual appearance of a dune or hill that gradually descends from the summit, but not at a consistent angle.  Portions of this poem, like the dunes that inspired it, remind me of being a child.  Too small to make the climb, I slid backwards and giggled in “silly shrill squeals” with every step I took.”

Sleeping Bear Dunes

the wind

whispers sifting

shifting soft streams

of sliding sand gliding

sand swirling in swiftly

whipping a gift of frivolous

spores seeping into the pores of

every poured drifter who wanders

unwary enticing toes buried in sun

washed white grains it summons sweet

strains out of childish play an inane serenade

in silly shrill squeals such delicious soft peals

sneaking snickering laughs amidst challenging

gaffs from scavenging gulls scoring lost souvenirs

slyly ravaging holes in soul-stealing pride as each

downward ride sends more sand shifting and sifting

and drifting and streaming as sliders slip into dreaming

soon blissfully scheming to finally surrender to old mother

bear who’s always there watching awaiting her small island

cubs sand-worn and weary     s  u  s  p  e  n  d  e  d i n  t i m e

Debra Kraft attended Wayne State University as a merit scholar in the early 80s, where she studied under Detroit poet M.L. Liebler. Recent publishing credits include a poetry book  published in 2004, and a fantasy novella, “A Throne’s Stowaway,” published last year in the web-based magazine Lorelei Signal. Her speculative poem “In the End” is expected to appear in Aberrant Dreams before the end of this year. More of her poetry can be found through her website, www.dmkraft.com.

Wedge shots, sand shots, chips, pitches, and putts account for 80 percent of the shots golfers lose to par.  If you want to lower your golf scores then you simply must improve your short game.  To do that you need the insight of a master-Dave Pelz-the undisputed king of shots inside 100 yards.

Only at The Homestead can you score some real face time with a legend like Pelz.  At The Homestead’s exclusive Dave Pelz Scoring Game School, you’ll not only improve your short game but also build the confidence and skills you can trust in a variety of critical scoring situations.

Call 800-833-7370 or visit www.pelzgolf.com to find a 1-, 2- or 3-day program that fits your summer vacation plans.

In the meantime, as you prepare to play better golf this season, keep a few simple things in mind:

For one, don’t let time be your excuse for not improving your golf game.  Set aside a little time to practice-even if it’s just stroking a few putts at home on your carpet or getting to the course a few minutes early to work on bunker shots.  Learn how to practice properly and your efforts will be rewarded. Golf is a lot of fun, and it’s even more fun when you’re lowering your scores!