I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

15 April 2009

Love Poem (April Challenge 14/1)

Two prompts today: a love poem and an anti-love poem. Here's the first.

I look across at the pillow next to mine.
Your white hair and blue pyjamas
are beautiful to me, and I love to see you
lying so close, right there. You still have
magic hands when you hold me, healer’s hands.
If I have an ache, you hug me and it’s soon gone.

Always a kind man, you grow ever sweeter
trying to look after independent me.
And you’re right, I should take better care
of myself, get to bed earlier, exercise more.
If one day you leave, I’ll be sorry I sat up late
writing my love for you tonight instead of acting on it.

We don’t speak of it but we both think you might
go first, being older. I’ll miss your physical self
but I know you’ll still be with me. It’s not for me
that I’ll regret not being in bed with you right now,
but because I could have given more loving to you,
more tangible loving, more cuddles and intimate talk.

Yesterday we spent all day in bed together, except
at the end of the day when I got up and wrote a poem.
And it was warming, and tomorrow morning I’ll be
lazing there awhile with you and our cats again. But 
I admit it, you do have a rival. My nights belong to
poetry, my first love, perhaps my greatest. C’est la vie.

Submitted 13 Feb. 2013, nearly four years later, for Poet's United's Verse First: Committed.  Marriage is a great commitment, and this poem turned out to be (unsurprisingly) prophetic — he is dead now — but my longest-lasting commitment has always been poetry.

29 comments:

  1. if autobiographical, you're a very lucky woman.

    Enjoyed both of your takes on love and anti-love. Anti-love flummoxed me. How to frame. I did a couple poems for each but they are wretched as each other.

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  2. How great that you don't assume autobiography! Comes of being a poet yourself, of course. Non-poets tend to make that assumption (sigh).

    However, the ones written for this challenge have nearly all been autobiographical, and this is.

    Yes, I am a lucky woman. :)

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  3. I am on a tear streak today, one poem to another. What a vivid picture this is of love for two--and they do not contradict each other! Thank you. I think your poetry will live beyond you.

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    1. Thank you, Susan. That's probably the best thing anyone has ever said to me! My reaction shows me that I still long for that. :)

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  4. The love is strong and clear in this poem, Rosemary. A beautiful testimony of relationship and commitment that surpasses the temporal. Thank you for sharing it with us today.

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    1. Thank you for your prompt, which had me hunting for something to fit - and thereby reminding myself of these happy times.

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  5. A beautiful deep love in your poem, for both loves.

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  6. That last two lines, is an unexpected twist ~ Love that first love ~

    May you always shine with your words ~ Cheers ~

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  7. Rosemary, such a heartfelt love painted here. I empathize with these loves too, just tonight I was a bit absent while drafting a poem in my mind. Wonderful poem :-)

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    1. I guess quite a few poets might know how this feels. :)

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  8. To find such passionate, tender, joyous love alive even after so many years of togetherness brings hope into this world of instant, impermanent love (Just add sex to make, and remove it to unmake)

    Wishing you both many many more years of togetherness and happiness :)

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    1. Thank you for the kind thought, Mixi. But this poem is a few years old, and in fact my dear husband died last September. The memories are sweet.

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    2. Have just amended my note to the poem, to make that clear.

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  9. Rosemary, such a beautiful loving poem. As you say, prophetic. But that you had that love, that warmth, that closeness......oh, lucky girl! He was such a sweet dear man. I know you miss him. I am glad that you have your poetry to talk about it all.

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    1. Yes, can't imagine what I'd do without poetry! I am glad I have managed to convey what a dear, sweet man he was.

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  10. really enjoyed this :-)

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  11. Wonderful! Bless you on this Valentine's Day, Rosemary... may it be filled with poetry!

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  12. triangle between lover1, lover2 and poetry

    journey with a new friend

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  13. Oh this is quite moving Rosemary!

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  14. Rosemary,

    One great love, makes the other possible:)

    Eileen

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  15. Rosemary, sweet, romantic, realistic... just like a good marriage. That fickle mistress (I always see poetry in the feminine, so I guess that makes me bitextual!), who does demand our nights, no matter how much we love our partners. So true. I only did an "anti-love" poem, about clowns (!) but wanted to share something special with you. Amy
    http://sharplittlepencil.com/2013/02/14/all-at-once/

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  16. Very lovely, I always feel there is more I should do to show my wife my love for her and I also have that relationship on the side with poetry so I really relate to this one, excellent.

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  17. Thank you all for the very kind comments!

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  18. i especially liked the intimacy of pyjamas and caring hands

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  19. Loved it! memories galore coming to the fore...no comparisons between the two...as they lay juxtaposed in verses!

    Akila

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