On Valentine’s
On Valentine’s
I tell him that a friend has told her son
just to put her in a room
with paper and glue
but I don’t make collages,
so he should stick to the stones.
He says,
“what if I just smother you?”
I think for a second, washing potatoes,
then say, “no, I don’t think smothering
would be good,”
and he says, “what if I smother you
with love?” sending
his best crooked smile, but I, paying it no mind,
pour the potatoes in a sieve, then douse them
with water, then, as a stream pours down
the cabinet–”look, see
what I mean–”
“You were just distracted,” he says,
“talking about me smothering you–you had them near
the sink,” and I say, “no, I actually forgot
it was a sieve,”
and he shrugs and I wipe the floor,
trying to console myself with the fact
that there wasn’t that much
water, and say, “no, you shouldn’t
smother me; that would seem
so aggressive,”
and he says, “you think?”
“It might upset me,” I say, “the last thing I see being
you smothering me,”
and he says, “I’m not
going to smother you,”
and I say, “just put the stones
in my pockets and aim me
for the pond–it would be
like a game,” but he
is doing the crossword now,
and I’m pretty sure can’t be counted on
even for the stones.
***************************
I couldn’t resist posting this as a second poem for my prompt on With Real Toads, about promises. The above is a not-very-good photograph of a light sculpture by my dear husband, Jason Martin.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: Jason Martin light sculpture, manicddaily, mind like a sieve poem, On Valentine's, promises between lovers poem, Promises re smothering or stones, Take me to the water poem
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ManicDDaily 
February 14, 2015 at 10:45 pm
I. So. Adore. This!!!!!!! “Just put the stones in my pocket and aim me for the pond.” Tell him it might be good to show you The Hours, first. LOL. I adore women’s humor! We are such a hoot!
February 14, 2015 at 11:17 pm
shoot, when my time comes just point me toward the woods and kiss me goodbye…i will go find a bear to curl up with…ha…
stones in the pocket…yikes..i would not like to go out drowning…
February 15, 2015 at 12:31 am
Wow, and you went all Virginia Woolf in the end. . . nicely done.
February 15, 2015 at 7:43 am
Ha. Thanks. k.
February 15, 2015 at 2:16 am
what a wonderful way to drive the poem forward toward that end with stones in the pocket. The togetherness can be quite smothering sometimes. I think I would have helped with the potatoes though..
February 15, 2015 at 7:42 am
Ha. My husband helps a ton, actually does most of the cooking! I used to cook a great deal, but have somehow done too much of it in my life, and just don’t so much anymore. But a very good point! k.
February 15, 2015 at 5:24 am
Most excellent 🙂
February 15, 2015 at 7:41 am
Thank you, Polly–I read your book and mean to make some little review! I will try to get around to do this–thanks again. k.
February 15, 2015 at 6:00 am
This kind of promise requested from a loved one pushes all considerations aside, except for the whole question of how far one would go to give the loved one ultimate escape from pain. I greatly admire those who can provide the stones, or any other means out of this world when necessity demands a dignified end, knowing that I could never do it myself.
February 15, 2015 at 7:39 am
All hard questions, especially when pain comes into play.
February 15, 2015 at 8:50 am
These are not the familiar lover’s questions or promises, and yet, in so many ways, they are almost deeper, more needed. They also explore rather starkly the limits of love as we age, and the changing quality of what we need from the other, and from ourselves. Really, I found this chilling, and I also feel that the things I want to ask will be too much, too hard, and that I will need to find a way to make sure for myself that they are done. The smothering! What an image, what a metaphor, (so much so the sieve becomes very subtle, really) and how rational the discussion, where even Wolfeian promises of stones are a comfort not to be had. Really excellent, k–you are on a roll of late.
February 15, 2015 at 8:56 am
Ha–thanks–I meant it to be humorous, but I do understand the other side, of course–it was interesting as I did the other one first, Ode to Morning, in one of those moments where I had nothing to write but felt I had to write something for the prompt, so I started with just that idea of Ode again, and was very happy that it led somewhere–then this one,much more on point, came later. k.
February 15, 2015 at 9:33 am
This made me think of the book “Still Alice” (because she made a plan about how to end it). The indignity of old age and dementia is what I think of as I read this though the lighthearted (but serious) banter gives it a little sweetness.
February 15, 2015 at 10:58 am
This feels so real and wry and funny and touching. Life, in a nutshell, I guess.
February 15, 2015 at 11:14 am
Thanks, MZ. k.
February 15, 2015 at 11:28 am
haha bitter/sweet 🙂
February 15, 2015 at 11:47 am
Poor child! it’s hard enough that we die, but when we need their help–when they have permission to help? I’m not sure they can handle the emotions or the freedom!
February 15, 2015 at 2:10 pm
You touch deeply with this amazingly crafted exchange. Nearly all of us have loved one afflicted with dementia or Alzheimer’s. This seems a believable desire, given such circumstances.
February 15, 2015 at 6:47 pm
Thanks, Kim. k .
February 15, 2015 at 4:39 pm
I did experience this as humorous and loving, but the undercurrent with the stones–stoning–stoned is a dark one, and one that resonates, for sure. Very astute. Also, I am totally capable of draining the potatoes directly onto the floor. 🙂
February 15, 2015 at 6:47 pm
Ha. Thanks. k.
February 16, 2015 at 5:37 am
This is such a nuanced piece. Full of affection but also there’s a dark undercurrent. Loved it Thanks.
Greetings from London.
February 16, 2015 at 6:03 pm
My husband and I will learn how much “togetherness” we can bear when he retires next year. I love the intimacy with a twist of dark in this piece!
February 16, 2015 at 10:53 pm
I, too understand this smothering! My husband took a few days off and the power went out-a transformer blew. A sieve of emotion captured so well~
February 17, 2015 at 12:33 am
““the last thing I see being
you smothering me,””
I laughed at that. A very serious topic though. I fear pain, but yet I think life is birth and death and to cheat either scares me a bit. I follow an interesting blog – Mundane Faithfulness – a woman who is trying to embrace Grace and embrace her dying of cancer. Initially the blog started out as her journey to conquer this cancer, I’m sure. But, it is now about something else entirely. I find it interesting and a powerful testimony to not ending one’s life on their own terms. Not sure where I stand exactly – I fear pain, but … it has given me a lot to think about.
February 17, 2015 at 3:23 am
Sorry for having been scarce. Looking forward to catching up, if that’s ever possible in this blogosphere.
I carry old stones around in my pockets, too, and suppose I put them there myself. Isn’t that the way it always happens, though? ~
February 17, 2015 at 10:09 am
Ha. Too right. No worries re catching up. k.
On Tue, Feb 17, 2015 at 3:23 AM, ManicDDaily wrote:
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February 18, 2015 at 9:26 pm
I love how this line, “so he should stick to the stones” brings to mind that old saying…I don’t know if it was intentional but any way…yeah, I wouldn’t want to go out that way either.