Monday, October 05, 2015

A Poem and a Picture

The dogberries in my meadow tell me it's going to be a long hard winter.



What the Living Do

Johnny, the kitchen sink has been clogged for days, some utensil probably fell down there.

And the Drano won't work but smells dangerous, and the crusty dishes have piled up

waiting for the plumber I still haven't called. This is the everyday we spoke of.

It's winter again: the sky's a deep headstrong blue, and the sunlight pours through

the open living room windows because the heat's on too high in here, and I can't turn it off.

For weeks now, driving, or dropping a bag of groceries in the street the bag breaking,

I've been thinking: This is what the living do. And yesterday, hurrying along those

wobbly bricks in the Cambridge sidewalk, spilling my coffee down my wrist and sleeve,

I thought it again, and again later, when buying a hairbrush: This is it.

Parking. Slamming the car door shut in the cold. What you called that yearning.

What you finally gave up. We want the spring to come and the winter to pass. We want

whoever to call or not call, a letter, a kiss -- we want more and more and then more of it.

But there are moments, walking, when I catch a glimpse of myself in the window glass,

say, the window of the corner video store, and I'm gripped by a cherishing so deep

for my own blowing hair, chapped face, and unbuttoned coat that I'm speechless:

I am living, I remember you.

~ Marie Howe

9 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Replies
    1. Not mine Sharyn, a poem shared by a friend today, it touched my heart.

      XO
      WWW

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  3. Replies
    1. Much as I'd like to I can't take credit Ramana :)

      XO
      WWW

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  4. The bush is beautiful. My bones say a long hard winter.
    Heat stopped working again - do not need at the moment
    but hopefully unit will crank through this winter.
    Stay so busy until 1:00 then I cannot move
    but yes
    I am alive and smiling as I write you...

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    Replies
    1. It's actually an enormous tree Ernestine but I wanted the sky as a backdrop against the red berries :) some call it a mountain ash.

      I do hope your heat gets fixed and working properly.

      XO
      WWW

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  5. Thank you for this by Marie Howe. I will copy and print it to save. It touched my heart as well. All the best to you.

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  6. Perfect. This is the upshot of all of it ~ we are living. Your insightful friend touched my heart as well.

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