Trapped in Narrative

by Gina Hietpas

A bee bumbles on the glassed porch
seeking a clear way out.
Flings against the fixed pane, in furious buzz
until it falls, dazed, on the splintered sill.

The neighboring window flung wide open
admits a sweet jumble – wisteria, lilac,
mock orange, blazing rhododendron nectar.

All that is required is a slight curve of flight.

“Trapped In Narrative” can be found in Terrain, the debut poetry collection by Gina Hietpas, published in 2020 by Blue Cactus Press.

About the Author

Gina Hietpas is a self–taught poet, born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. Her debut poetry collection, Terrain (Blue Cactus Press, 2020) was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award (2021). Nowadays, she lives outside Sequim, Washington, on a small farm with her husband, a few cows and a passel of chickens. Gina’s land is a habitat for elk, deer, coyotes and an occasional bear. It is, for the most part, a peaceful coexistence. Several seasons as a backcountry ranger for Olympic National Park shaped her deep connection to wilderness. She has worked professionally as the director of a non-profit and a middle school teacher. Now that she has retired, she focuses her efforts on writing. She has studied with Kelli Russell Agodon, Alice Derry, Holly Hughes, Susan Rich and Kim Stafford. Hietpas’ work has appeared in Minerva Rising, Tidepools, Spindrift and New Plains Review.