somewhere I have rarely
somewhere I have rarely
somewhere I have rarely
travels a two-lane road
there heaven’s leaven with clean white sheets
though time is crooked and bowed
the bedstead’s kind enough for pine
though the floor is scuffed with pacing
and oh we’re tired and–oh–sore
no matter what’s up-facing
still we try–we too–to find
sunlit in a forehead’s shine
a window to tint lidded eyes
so the mauve inside’s not grief
disguised
there oatmeal’s creamy without milk
our skins as smooth as laundered silk
(though hard as knead)
(though hard as need)
(though quite bare-kneed)
(though barred and kneed)
and the warmth that warms to wilt those sheets
where night and mauve and knees do meet
lulls merged lanes and lipreads smile
till time itself lies down a while
***********************
Draft poem for Real Toads Open Platform. Heavily influenced (ha) by the reading of somewhere i have never traveled by E.E. Cummings posted by Kerry O’Connor at Real Toads.
The pic is a water color of mine, recently painted. It doesn’t go so well with the poem (and has no elephants or little dogs, which is rather new for me) but still–all rights reserved.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: E.E. Cummings is a strong influence, http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com, Love Poem, manicddaily, somewhere I have rarely, two lane lip read smile poem
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
ManicDDaily 
February 18, 2016 at 5:30 am
Creamy without milk! What a place.
February 18, 2016 at 9:26 am
still we try–we too–to find
sunlit in a forehead’s shine
a window to tint lidded eyes
so the mauve inside’s not grief
disguised
I love this stanza, as it is almost a poem within a poem. Your rhymes add cadence to the words and the whole piece takes me to this place of tenderness.
February 18, 2016 at 10:01 am
Thanks so much, Kerry– that is also my favorite part– I at first had “not grief’s disguise” but changed at last minute and am still thinking of it. Also thought a lot about sunlit or sunlight but felt that sunlit which was in first version allowed much more breadth in terms of reading and was also more of a nod to Cummings. Thanks for inspiration of posting that poem! K.
February 18, 2016 at 6:18 pm
The pic is just as gorgeous as the poem. Thanks, I enjoyed both.
Greetings from London.
February 18, 2016 at 7:38 pm
You had me at “creamy without milk”. There is a sense of peace and pleasure in those words that speak of a perfect place, a perfect moment…
February 19, 2016 at 12:34 pm
I LOVE the painting….and the poem, which is a delight to read with its rhyme, rhythm and wordplay.
February 19, 2016 at 7:59 pm
When tired and sore it’s good to reflect on what’s been done and rejoice.
February 19, 2016 at 11:41 pm
You are so multitalented, k. I like the painting . . . and the poem, of course. I had to read it over several time … I love when a poem calls me to do that. The word-play of the fourth stanza tickled me.
Hope all is wll in your world, k. Be well and poem on …
February 20, 2016 at 10:04 am
Thank you so much, Jamie. My world has been consumed with my day job (which has become a 24/7 job a little bit), but I am hoping for some lightening soon. Hope you are well and enjoying beautiful SF. k.
On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 11:41 PM, ManicDDaily wrote:
>
February 24, 2016 at 12:51 pm
I especially like the parenthetical, the sing-song laced with hooded eyes… ~