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.

8 February 2012

Face to Face

for Diane

It’s raining again. The clouds
cover the full moon’s face.
But I can’t be cast down tonight —
my friend, fifty years gone,
found me tonight on facebook.
Her face, so long unseen,
looks very much the same
as that girl’s whom I remember.

Only five years ago
I wrote her into a poem
of her and me as young things,
going dancing. She tells me now
I haven’t changed much either,
the years have been kind. (We put
our best photos on facebook.)
But yes, the years have been kind. 

The face of the Lady Moon
will not stay hidden long. In any case,
tonight my heart is dancing
like a young thing, like a girl.
For I know that faces return
and are recognised. 
How lovely the face of my friend — 
my friend who is named for the moon.




Submitted to dVerse OpenLink Night #30
and to Open Link Monday at imaginary gardens with real toads 
and also to Poets United's Poetry Pantry #86

23 comments:

  1. Very nice, very melancholic.

    -my friend who is named for the moon.-

    Very nice.

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  2. Thank you, I'm glad you like it - but it is intended to be joyous, not melancholic!

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  3. I'm glad you re-found your friend. It's fortunate that time has been kind to both of you!

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  4. oh i can imagine how wonderful that must feel..haven't seen each other for 50 years and then...my you have lots to talk about now...catching up on each other...smiles

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  5. Must be some fun reunion then...Isn't FB wonderful? I had to laugh though that we put our best pics in FB..he..he..

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  6. Isn't technology marvelous in so very many ways, for all it's nasty side there is an even better side, and this is one of them. What a lovely surprise you both must've had.
    This is a really heart warming read.

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  7. This is really neat, Rosemary--both as a clean and well-written poem, and as an occasion for celebration. I love thinking of you two dancing together long ago, and I love the last stanza best of all.

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  8. Thanks to you all for rejoicing with me!

    I have now made a link in the text to that earlier poem (just posted for the occasion).

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  9. Haha... I had to laugh about the posting pictures part... I have yet to see a bad photo on FB. I'm glad you were able to reconnect.

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  10. There's a sweetness here that you captured so beautifully. Ah, reunions! However they come, they're special.

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  11. I like this.

    Captures the joy of finding a lost friend. It's always a wonderful moment.

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  12. it is so cool over time to still look at a friends face and see them...the recognition...that is a beautiful thing you know...almost makes me want to get back on FB>..smiles.

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  13. Technology has its moments such as these, glad your friend was found with ease. Great write capturing the journey too!

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  14. How neat Rosemary - for all my grousing about FaceBook and other social media foibles - they are great for things like rediscovering long-lost friends, I must admit ... nice poem and good reminder of things like this ...

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  15. How lovely! While all things about us may change, I find the eyes remain the same, and the spirit behind them.

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  16. how exciting to be reunited with someone who was so special to you! wonderful!

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  17. Great to find an old friend, and I like the way you tied in your experience with your friend and the moon.

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  18. We are now having a great catch-up by email and clearly are still on the same wavelength after all these years.

    I started to write about the moon, but Diane was uppermost in my mind, so that's the direction the poem went. (Almost an example of conflation, perhaps, as we learned at dVerse a little while ago.)

    Kerry, that's a great observation about the eyes!

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  19. So fun to connect after many years, isn't it?

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  20. As many negatives as Facebook has, one thing it's been able to do is bridge time and space for true friends. Your poem reminded me that I've met people there I haven't seen in ages, and being able to catch up on how life has been with them is an immeasurable gift.

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  21. And I bet the years between shrank to a nothing...

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  22. Cad, you are so right! As are you, Victoria and Semaphore.

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