Crush Crush
Whitman, Plath, Melville, Poe, two Dylans, the Bard,
Donne, Langston, even Frost, and Emily Dickenson,
Oh yes! Darlings, all. I really try my best
Not to become obsessed with you…and fail.
I flail ever about, in love, ever in love…
Ever crushed by love’s press on my chest,
Arcane punishment, reserved for those
Who will not confess to sins uncommitted…
Love of the mind is not witchcraft, after all.
My love no dainty dagger wields, nor espada ropera;
Rather with Claymore, cutting both ways and thrusting,
Love slays my poor heart again and again, unrequited,
Love, but the pain is worth it! My lady loves, so fair,
Shall I name you, too? Kay, Connie, Kathy, and Lori;
Miss Harviel, the Dosters, two Beths, two Pams,
And lovely, kind Rita: affairs of the mind and heart,
No more, no less, and yes, you, too, Kim Jane:
How in heaven’s name could I not love you?
And even my dearest Dana Bug: I loved the poet,
An affair of the mind, long before we two were one.
An affair of the mind, long before we two were one.
Shall I go on? No…no need, you know who you are,
Dear friends. I think you know, too, how much
I care for you…as St. Jackson Brown sang,
"Look at yourself, I mean, what else would I do?"
"Look at yourself, I mean, what else would I do?"
5 comments:
Hmm - I want to know who the Dosters are :)
Love you too dearest - body & soul.
LOL, long forgotten sisters with whom I attended WFU. Crushes from afar...we lived in the same dorm my senior year, and they interrupted more than one ping-pong rally between Mike H. and myself, just by walking by.
No doubt the affair of the mind is a precious gift. Indeed, what else would we do?
I do so enjoy your poetry. You are a gifted bard...now if you can just learn to play the lute.
I feel like an eavesdropper, someone who has witnessed something too private. The outsider looking in.
And all of it in the way that someone who loves poetry can feel at a poem that touches to some core. You managed to be so personal, but took it that step beyond so that the stranger, the voyeur gets it.
How was THAT for being too wordy? Oh, well. Thank you for letting the stranger in.
You are always welcome here, Jeannette! Thank you for your lovely words, now and on previous visits. I am touched and encouraged by them!
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