Thursday, April 17, 2008

is that a poem in your pocket or are you just happy to read this blog?

Today, April 17, is National Carry a Poem in Your Pocket Day!
So here's one, for J's pocket:

A Love Song
by William Carlos Williams

What have I to say to you
When we shall meet?
Yet—
I lie here thinking of you.

The stain of love
Is upon the world.
Yellow, yellow, yellow,
It eats into the leaves,
Smears with saffron
The horned branches that lean
Heavily
Against a smooth purple sky.

There is no light—
Only a honey-thick stain
That drips from leaf to leaf
And limb to limb
Spoiling the colours
Of the whole world.

I am alone.
The weight of love
Has buoyed me up
Till my head
Knocks against the sky.

See me!
My hair is dripping with nectar—
Starlings carry it
On their black wings.
See, at last
My arms and my hands
Are lying idle.

How can I tell
If I shall ever love you again
As I do now?

4 comments:

Jim Murdoch said...

I love your title – wish I'd thought of that – and I enjoyed the poem. I chose to put up 'Mr. Bleaney' by Philip Larkin (with a typically long article tagged on at the end) but William Carlos Williams would have been my next choice ('The Locust Tree in Flower' – the abbreviated version). If we're still around next year I'll do him. So hands off, I've got dibs on that one.

Patry Francis said...

No poem in my pocket today, but I'm definitely happy to be reading your blog. I love WCW, but have never read this wonderful poem before. Thank you! xxx

Dave King said...

Lovely poem, but poems should not be in pockets, they need the light of day to make their glucose and their oxygen.
Thanks for the post.

Dave King said...

P.S.
It's still a bloody good title!