Thursday, February 08, 2007

Poertry Thursday- "Change"

This poem speaks to me and the profound change Dave's love has made to my life. Thirteen years of being alone with ALS and then the gift of love.


Love Letter

Not easy to state the change you made.

If I'm alive now, then I was dead,

Though, like a stone, unbothered by it,

Staying put according to habit.

You didn't just tow me an inch, no-

Nor leave me to set my small bald eye

Skyward again, without hope, of course,

Of apprehending blueness, or stars.

That wasn't it. I slept, say: a snake

Masked among black rocks as a black rock

In the white hiatus of winter-

Like my neighbors, taking no pleasure

In the million perfectly-chisled

Cheeks alighting each moment to melt

My cheeks of basalt. They turned to tears,

Angels weeping over dull natures,

But didn't convince me. Those tears froze.

Each dead head had a visor of ice.

And I slept on like a bent finger.

The first thing I was was sheer air

And the locked drops rising in dew

Limpid as spirits. Many stones lay

Dense and expressionless round about.

I didn't know what to make of it.

I shone, mice-scaled, and unfolded

To pour myself out like a fluid

Among bird feet and the stems of plants.

I wasn't fooled. I knew you at once.

Tree and stone glittered, without shadows.

My finger-length grew lucent as glass.

I started to bud like a March twig:

An arm and a leg, and arm, a leg.

From stone to cloud, so I ascended.

Now I resemble a sort of god

Floating through the air in my soul-shift

Pure as a pane of ice. It's a gift.


Sylvia Plath
Photo by stock.xchng, poem found on Poem Hunter and other poems on "change" can be found at http://poetrythursday.org/

17 comments:

Pam said...

How absolutely beautiful. This poem and you and Dave.

daisies said...

one of my favourite poems :)

that photo is absolutely beautiful!!

Regina said...

An incredible image and poem- but an even more incredible couple. Thanks so much, Tammy, for sharing this...

paris parfait said...

That is a beautiful poem - but you and Dave are the real poem! xo

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Magnificent! Thank for posting this for us, and yes, I think it fits you and Dave, you sexy forty-something lady!

Bedazzzled1 said...

You really are going to have to stock up on Kleenex and keep it here for me when I make my visits. You tap my emotions each and every time I am here.

::hugs and love::

Nikki

Jone said...

What an amazing photo and tribute to your love for each other.

Kim said...

Beautiful poem honoring the love between you and Dave.

Julie said...

"I started to bud like a March twig:
An arm and a leg, and arm, a leg."

That's what it's like when you find your true love, isn't it? It's like discovering that you weren't really living until you found them.

I'm so glad you have each other.

Rethabile said...

This, in reference to death, rocks: "Though, like a stone, unbothered by it." I love fearlessness (though I'm quite the chicken myself).

JP (mom) said...

Wonderful poem to choose for this prompt and your feeling ... absolutely lovely. Much peace, JP

gautami tripathy said...

I liked the postive note of it. Good to be loved the way you are.

gautami

Transposition.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Lovely poem to share and the photo is very beautiful and romantic!

A bird in the hand said...

Dearest Tammy, you give me hope.
xox

turquoise cro said...

Isn't that poem Beauty Full? and I love those hands making a heart! It's almost here, your ANNIVERSARY!!! Woooooo Hoooooo! Aren't we lucky Tammy?((((Dave&Jerry))))) LOL I wish everyone a great LOVE in their life! xooxoxoox, Cinda

V said...

Woo Hoo, WARRIOR!!!!!!!!
V

Anonymous said...

The power of his love so beautifully expressed by Plath and that gorgeous photo!