Wow. The
journey to this poem was quite – well, intriguing.
I had no idea “overt”
would take me where it did and isn’t that some of the mystery that is poetry? This
poem sounds more like a confession though there is certainly an element of “overt”
in confession, isn’t there? The prompt came from "One Single Impression", which is quickly becoming one of my favorite places for weekly writing prompts.
Read on and
hear of my most common romantic yearnings. My children would say “TMI, Mom! Do
you think people really want to read or know this stuff?”
Hmmm. Not sure
if you do or not, but I do hope you will find it humorous or honest or silly or…
reflective of you, as well.
Enjoy!
I fell in love
today and wondered, immediately
Did Mary
Oliver name her dog for him?
You know the
dog, her Percy?
She writes of
walks and reflections
Leaping from
his limbs, that Percy -
At first I
thought it was just his biography
I wanted. I’m
speaking of Shelley, no not Mary
I want a
biography – a life line – like Percy's.
I want people to look at my words and say
“I
have drunken deep of joy” here, and sigh…
He was the
poet, that poet, the one poet
whose
"whose passionate search for personal
love and
social justice was gradually channeled
from overt
actions into poems that rank with the
greatest in
the English language." those
brilliant
folks from ThinkExist.com introduced us
I want to have
a biography like him.
I will say it
out loud, here, overtly
I will credit
those who brought us
into
connection - since I never
gave Percy any
thought today yet now.
I think I am
in love.
I have yet another
Dead Man Crush.
I have many of
those you know.
My Alberts:
Schweitzer and Einstein
My Henry: as
in David Thoreau -
pencil factory
owner, Walden Pond
dweller his deliberate
solitude
would know my
alone need
coupled with my
fond desire
of time with
him, his poetry,
his deep
thinking mind
(I worry I
would get on his nerves)
Each time I
turn it seems another
dead man
attempts to woo me
with his
Romantic speech and notions
I toss aside
all my physical predilections
for just one
of Rainer Rilke's whispers in
my ear, my
chin rises toward his voice
I want to
learn German so I can touch
his
untranslated meaning.
They elevate
me, these dead man crushes.
I am open
about them – obviously
I don't hide the fact that I have a long list
of
amorous
non-suitors separated from
by the
impossible to be intimate grave.
I don't go for
dead guys like
James Dean or
the typical pretty-boys
Bring me some
Whitman smattered with
Some speckles
of May Sarton
(My crushes
even crush the
gender line
for I am more bold when
my lost love
crosses death's boundaries.
For today, my
love reaches to Percy.
I look to the
page and find “A poet is a nightingale,
who
sits in darkness and sings”
I
hear the bird song“to cheer its own
solitude
with sweet sounds.”
and I know this
love is not unrequited
I fall into
his outstretched from the
Soil arms and
find “Soul meets soul on lovers’ lips.”
And know that
in speaking his words
On this page
and in your mind –
Percy is still
blissfully alive….
Julie Jordan Scott delivers conscious inspiration in the Daily Passion Activator, - insights delivered directly into your email box. Why not Subscribe today? It's free.
You've romanced the Romantics there. Nice one.
Posted by: Anthony North | July 12, 2010 at 02:26 PM
I am smiling Julie with this sensible humor-like poem you've penned and somehow I could relate in some ways...why, I also adore great men, dead or alive, overtly and who cares, right?
beautiful as always Julie and I love the patience you always render in your works...
btw, i had a hard time posting a comment once in your 3WW offering, I wonder what is wrong with your page or maybe the poor net connection...
i hope this will be posted now...thanks so much Julie, you make my day, full of *smiles*...:-)))
Posted by: Amity | July 12, 2010 at 06:56 PM
Envious. I have given my all to the undead. Now I'll follow your lead and make happy with the dead man crush. I love this piece!
Posted by: Tumblewords | July 12, 2010 at 08:12 PM
the overt nature of a crush ... literary or otherwise ... brilliant!
whether or not your children think this is TMI, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
thanks for your contribution to the prompt!!
peace,
JP/deb
Posted by: JanePoet | July 12, 2010 at 08:28 PM
“I have drunken deep of joy”
Indeed.
Posted by: Harshad | July 13, 2010 at 09:13 AM
Yes, yes, yes. But Mary is sane whereas Percy....
Beautiful poem. Thanks, for this.
Posted by: SandyCarlson | July 14, 2010 at 07:19 PM
Sounds great, Julie. I love your "another Dead Man Crush." Your poem reminded me a little of the English teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams) in Dead Poets Society. :)
It also made me think about identifying with one of your guys or another from the dead. Right now I cannot think of one I'd like. Perhaps James Henry Leigh Hunt for his Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!) I do ID with Einstein not for poetry but rather for his abdominal aortic aneurysm. I have one that has been repaired with a stent.
..
Posted by: Jim | July 15, 2010 at 10:12 AM
"I want people to look at my words and say 'I have drunken deep of joy' here, and sigh…"
That is the goal of all poets. Very aptly put.
And I *love* the "Dead Man Crush"--Nice to know I'm not the only one!!
Posted by: Gemma | July 15, 2010 at 12:14 PM