The BlueIris Semi-Nightly Poetry Break, 12/10/07

[BlueIris]

"If they come in the night"

Long ago on a night of danger and vigil
a friend said, Why are you happy?
He explained (we lay together
on a hard, cold floor) what prison
meant because he had done
time, and I talked of the death
of friends. Why are you happy
then, he asked, close to
angry.

I said, I like my life. If I
have to give it back, if they
take it from me, let me only
not feel I wasted any, let me
not feel I forgot to love anyone
I meant to love, that I forgot
to give what I held in my hands,
that I forgot to do some little
piece of the work that wanted
to come through.

Sun and moonshine, starshine,
the muted grey light off the waters
of the bay at night, the white
light of the fog stealing in,
the first spears of the morning,
touching a face
I love. We all lose
everything. We lose
ourselves. We are lost.

Only what we manage to do
lasts, what love sculps from us;
but what I count, my rubies, my
children, are those moments
wide open when I know clearly
who I am, who you are, what we
do, a marigold, an oakleaf, a meteor,
with all my senses hungry and filled
at once like a pitcher with light.

—Marge Piercy

[BlueIris]

1. Best poem ever.

[ThomCat]

2. I relate very much to this poem. It fits having a progressive disability

very well.

I said, I like my life. If I
have to give it back, if my body
takes it from me, let me only
not feel I wasted any, let me
not feel I forgot to love anyone
I meant to love, that I forgot
to give what I held in my heart,
that I forgot to try some little
effort or art that wanted
to come through.

[BlueIris]

3. Yep.

[BlueIris]

4. Kickin' it, before going out for the afternoon.

[BlueIris]

5. Kick.

[Perseid]

6. The Rain Moved Away

The rain moved away
again
from my forehead
the rain moved away
again
today
what do the falling
tears
say to each other
on their way down

the rain moved away
again
and then I said
why do the falling
tears
tear each of us apart
on their way down

on their way down

the rain
aways moves away
what do we learn from the falling
tears
on their way down
again
on their way down
again

[Perseid]

7. Do you remember when

I told you
I thought of what it would be
like
to hold you
for the first time

do you
remember
when
I
wondered if you would
ever
hold me
again

do you remember when
I asked you
what you thought of us
and
you didn't hold me
for the first time

do you
wonder if
you will ever
hold me
again

do you remember
when

I still wonder

[Perseid]

8. Coconuts and swallows

rock and roll among us
I couldn't say where or when
but
it happens every evening while not
paying attention
I couldn't say where or when
but
it happens again
and again
and
I couldn't say anything other than
coconuts do
and swallows
do too

[Perseid]

9. just continuing to kick. pay no attention

I tried to tell you
my friend
that I had a worry
or two
It took some time for you
to hear me
to listen
to see in your heart through
your eyes
what was there
before ashes
took it all
away
I had a worry
or two
but had time to
wonder about you and you
whether you listen
or see through your heart
and your eyes
through the ashes
I had a worry
or two