she rose naked
from the bed
the only light
a candle flickering
and there
that picture
burned forever
in my mind
Month: January 2018
after Su Tung-p’o: the exile’s lament
standing in bare feet
exiled in a distant land
seeking some comfort
with the aroma of mint
floating on the evening air
your eyes
lost
in the depths
of your eyes
the heart that beats
my heart follows a path
toward you
though where you are
is uncertain
who you are
unknown
that doesn’t stop this heart
from seeking
through words
and endless action
the heart that beats
inside you
the mystery awaits
the road
stretches toward
the horizon
the approach
palms up
eyes alert
heart open
the mystery
awaits
“I knew that I must paint not what I saw, but only what was in me, in my soul.”
from Douglas Moore’s blog Art of Quotation
“I knew that I must paint not what I saw, but only what was in me, in my soul.”
Alexej von Jawlensky. Russian, painter
ready
I have always been leery of January
filled with restless spirits
of those who have gone before
but lately it seems
that’s true of every month
so throw off superstitions
and damn you powers that be
let the wolves in
no campfire burning
here in the winter
of my years
I’m ready
through the night
sometimes one needs
something stronger
than lemon water
to make it
through the night
Another Hometown by Yun Dong-ju
another Korean poem in translation by Geul on the blog Cardiac Slaves of the Stars
translated from the Korean by geul
The night I returned to my hometown
my skeleton followed me and lay down in the room with me.
*
The dark room opened up out into the universe,
could it be from the skies – the wind blows in like sound.
*
Looking closely
at the finely weathering skeleton
with tears welling up – is it me weeping?
Or is it the skeleton weeping?
Or is it the beautiful soul that’s weeping?
*
The faithful dog
stays up all night and barks at the darkness.
*
The dog barking at the darkness
is no doubt pursuing me.
*
Let’s go let’s go
like a person on the run.
Keeping the skeleton in the dark
Let’s move on to yet another lovely hometown.
walls
oh so high
the walls
around your heart
Leonard Durso 