Sunday, July 17, 2011

Sunday Morning Poetry

I wasn't planning on being away so long. Life just sort of hoovered up all my time. Anyway, what better to return with than a little Billy? The photo doesn't really go with the poem, but it does show what I've been up to.

bridal bouquet

ADAGE

When it’s late at night and branches
are banging against the windows,
you might think that love is just a matter

of leaping out of the frying pan of yourself
into the fire of someone else,
but it’s a little more complicates than that.

It’s more like trading the two birds
who might be hiding in that bush
for the one you are not holding in your hand.

A wise man once said that love
was like forcing a horse to drink
but then everyone stopped thinking of him as wise.

Let us be clear about something.
Love is not as simple as getting up
on the wrong side of the bed wearing the emperor’s clothes.

No, it’s more like the way the pen
feels after it has defeated the sword.
It’s a little like the penny saved or the nine dropped stitches.

You look at me through the halo of the last candle
and tell me love is an ill wind
that has no turning, a road that blows no good,

but I am here to remind you,
as our shadows tremble on the walls,
that love is the early bird who is better late then never.

~by Billy Collins. from Ballistics © 2008

Happy Sunday, friends.

13 comments:

S. Etole said...

So good to see you back again! What beautiful flowers.

Shaista said...

He is just brilliant every time :). How does he do it? I love the line that reads, 'the way the pen feels after it is has defeated the sword'.
I wrote a poem called 'Shaista' once, about the meaning of my name... And in it I wrote the following lines...

I am standing on the battleground
listing a little,
Sword and pen at the ready
Blood and words aplenty.

I love hearing the echoes of other poets in my own lines, poets I had never heard of at the time. It is a deep comfort to know we are always on the poet's road, even when we feel lost.

Jennifer Richardson said...

oh hello again!
love these juicy words
and the light and loving
beaming down on those roses.
hope it's been happy hoovering:)
-Jennifer

Debby said...

Miss you. I love the poem. Your flowers are so beautiful.

Georgianna said...

Hello, dear, and welcome back.

THAT poem – brilliance. It will give me a beautiful day no matter what else comes along.

And your gorgeous flowers – can't wait to hear what you've been doing.

Me – busy, too, and thinking of you.

xo – g

Lubna said...

Thanks for sharing these words. Happy Sunday (mine has ended) and its a busy week ahead.

Sweet Tea said...

The first two phrases of this poem are my favorite - beautiful words and your beautiful photo of flowers. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Nice to see you back - great poem and very lovely flowers. I could almost smell those sweet peas!

Meri said...

It keeps getting later and later when it comes to loving again. Ruby and the Romantics sang, "Our Day Will Come," if memory serves me. . . but I have to wonder when.

Anonymous said...

beautiful...

Amy said...

Funny how that happens, isn't it? :)

I love this poem! And those roses are gorgeous!

Ragamuffin Gal said...

Welcome back dear ~ love the poems that you share with us!

Claire said...

Love the words, love the flowers...love to hear from you.

Cxx

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