Poem for February
photo via stefski
Aimless Love
This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,
I fell in love with a wren
and later in the day with a mouse
the cat had dropped under the dining room table.In the shadows of an autumn evening,
I fell for a seamstress
still at her machine in the tailor’s window,
and later for a bowl of broth,
steam rising like smoke from a naval battle.This is the best kind of love, I thought,
without recompense, without gifts,
or unkind words, without suspicion,
or silence on the telephone.The love of the chestnut,
the jazz cap and one hand on the wheel.No lust, no slam of the door –
the love of the miniature orange tree,
the clean white shirt, the hot evening shower,
the highway that cuts across Florida.No waiting, no huffiness, or rancor –
just a twinge every now and thenfor the wren who had built her nest
on a low branch overhanging the water
and for the dead mouse,
still dressed in its light brown suit.But my heart is always propped up
in a field on its tripod,
ready for the next arrow.After I carried the mouse by the tail
to a pile of leaves in the woods,
I found myself standing at the bathroom sink
gazing down affectionately at the soap,so patient and soluble,
so at home in its pale green soap dish.
I could feel myself falling again
as I felt its turning in my wet hands
and caught the scent of lavender and stone.
Becca Smith Hill: Beautiful.30 weeks ago
beth: In college, I went to a reading by Billy Collins without knowing anything about him, then left wholly charmed. Mind if I share one of my favorites? “Marginalia”: http://tinyurl.com/q6wpv430 weeks ago
Beth, Marginalia is my favorite poem of his, and one of my favorites in the world. Thanks for sharing the link!30 weeks ago
Rae: I fell in love with this poem.30 weeks ago
Lynette Cornell: I’m going to chime in another plug for Billy Collins, this time for his poem “Introduction to Poetry.” It is my favorite poem by him simply for the image evoked by the stanza:
I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author’s name on the shore.
To me, he understands the nature of poetry, not a form to be wrapped up in ceremony and pompousness, but something pleasurable.
Happy February!30 weeks ago
rhonda35: I have a bit of a reader-crush on Billy Collins. I just love everything of his that I seek out or stumble upon. He has the magical ability to say what I didn’t even know I was feeling. This is the perfect love poem for February! Thank you.29 weeks ago
www.geekxnerd.com: Gorgeous! Aimless love of the little things! I may have to repost this on my blog. Thanks for making me smile, and feel gratitude today
28 weeks ago