ode to neruda & gibran
two of my favourite poets growing up were pablo neruda and kahlil gibran; they still are, although I have less time to browse through my leisure books now. But I went back to my old friends pablo and kahlil today, before the clock strikes 12 and we say good night to st. valentine. Found a few jewels, doggy-eared pages in the books...
XVII
I don't love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as certain dark things are loved,
secretly between the shadow and the soul.
I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom and carries
hidden within itself the light of those flowers,
and thanks to your love, darkly in my body
lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth.
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you simply, without problems or pride:
I love you in this way because I don't know any other
way of loving
but this, in which there is no I or you.
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.
------------------------------------------------------------
The Prophet (1923)
Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love.
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. '
And with a great voice he said:
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
[...]
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully [...]
-----------------------------------
Here I end what turned out to be a Valentine's Day special...much love to all!
XVII
I don't love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as certain dark things are loved,
secretly between the shadow and the soul.
I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom and carries
hidden within itself the light of those flowers,
and thanks to your love, darkly in my body
lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth.
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you simply, without problems or pride:
I love you in this way because I don't know any other
way of loving
but this, in which there is no I or you.
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.
------------------------------------------------------------
The Prophet (1923)
Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love.
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. '
And with a great voice he said:
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
[...]
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully [...]
-----------------------------------
Here I end what turned out to be a Valentine's Day special...much love to all!
posted by Helenism at 11:36 p.m.
6 Comments:
very nice poems. sometimes we forget what love is and, sorry i'm rambling. dont understand the link to the mos def site (perhaps some hidden meaning to "dark things".
Hope you had a special valentine :-)
lovely poems,the first one is kinda how i see love,it's amazing how another persons words can touch you and give u that "lightbulb"moment-i love it
gibran..he is my favorite..my best friend is called senait..sweet!!!
gibran..he is my favorite..my best friend is called senait..sweet!!!
Anzaldua, sooo cool..i still go back and read . ' this bridge called our backs..'
guess the link to the mos def site is weird but he's dark and I love him. "as certain dark things are loved"...mos def.
What can I say? I'm a product of my times. I would have done the same quoting Othello from Shakespeare. I think I was listening to mos def at the same time.
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