Monday 3 September 2012

To stay

It is I
knocking at your door,
not as a beggar nor
with a question

but someone who has written
the saddest song, 
the loneliest poem 

diminished,
a fraction of lemon leaf, 
bereft of scent and colour 

fear has stilled my fingers 
wanting to pull you under the water tide,   
melting in the roughness, 
arching feet in foamy sands 

i have come
as one who now cries at every moon rise,
wretched with summer's brevity,  
weary of long roads, 

my hands searches
for your light and steady gait,
even your shadows comfort me

I am knocking
not to leave you again
but to stay


yes, to stay 



Inspired by Pablo Neruda's The Question  -  When I don't know what to write, I turn to reading Neruda's poems.  A light piece for this long weekend ~  Back to work on Tuesday~  

Posted for OpenLinkNight of Real Toads  - Monday
and D'verse Poets Pub - Tuesday   

56 comments:

  1. Sounds like they were allowed back too, from the looks of it at least haha. Don't know what we have until it's gone sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Pat ~ I hope you enjoyed the long weekend ~

      Delete
  2. This is beautiful, Grace. I love the soft and gentle messsage. I am glad that THIS time she'll stay.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Mary for the lovely words and visit ~ I appreciate it ~

      Delete
  3. smiles...lovely....staying is a wonderful thing...i rather like neruda as well...def feel the emotions as i read it...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Brian, though I must admit that the seasons changing slightly influenced my words ~

      Delete
  4. Sorry about the delete, Grace, I called you out of your name.
    And I find this such a difficult poem. So much explaining and holding back just to win a shadow? There are leaves to jump in and bulbs to plant, and parties to plan and a night to dance. But you are probably writing a country song here and I am in a jazz mood. I hope I made you laugh at least, by chasing the blues away. Sleep well! Tomorrow is another day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neruda has always this way of writing, but I never thought of this as a country song. Different readers, different perspectives. Thanks for the visit Susan ~

      Delete
  5. Nice poem, Heaven, it tugs at my heart. Do I let her in hoping she will stay or look the other way?

    BTW, I always say "It is me" although grammarically incorrect, 90% follow my way. Ms. 'Grammar Girl' says that is fine and that I am forgiven, even by most of her peers. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-linking-verbs.aspx
    ..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like to stick to formal writing but its also fine to say "it is me" ~ Thanks for the visit Jim ~

      Delete
  6. This is breathtaking and I don't feel it as a light piece. I feel the weight of strong feelings here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I meant light as to the topic as its not dealing with life or death or anything political. Thank you Anne ~ I appreciate your visit ~

      Delete
  7. So beautiful...I too read Pablo when I am without words.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Have never read Pablo Neruda... I will check him out now.

    Very intense poem... he looks happy to have her back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do check him out Margaret ~

      Thank you for the visit and support ~

      Delete
  9. hope he lets her stay! Very intense, HEaven!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I feel like I just went through this myself. This is beautiful, Heaven, you always touch my heart. Thank you for sharing your writing.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm glad she'll chose to stay too. Love has to constantly e worked at or else, like anything else, it dies.
    Beautiful Grace.
    Yes, we had a great long weekend. Hope you did too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. weary of long roads..knocking at that door...to stay...deciding to stay is a good thing..

    ReplyDelete
  13. Grace, I am loving this--the lemon leaf, the crying at moonrise. Perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  14. this is so.......moving *sigh*

    ReplyDelete
  15. This tugs at the heart, at how difficult it is to stay and how difficult it is to love over the long term--just a gorgeous write Grace--

    ReplyDelete
  16. I've not read a lot of Neruda, but this resonates so well with what I have. If you'd not owned up to him as the inspiration for this, I would have said that it was Neruda-like :-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lovely writing. I especially love this stanza:

    diminished,
    a fraction of lemon leaf,
    bereft of scent and colour

    And I was just thinking this morning that it's been far too long since I last read Neruda. Thanks for the push over the edge. I'll have to go to the library tonight I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  18. It feels uncomfortable, honest, and humbling... and nicely turned from traditional expressions... I like

    ReplyDelete
  19. This was really a joy to read, grace. I fell in love with her early on. She seemed a hunger to be shared as feast.
    Rick

    ReplyDelete
  20. Grace, this is beautiful. I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I really liked this piece, well written

    ReplyDelete
  22. Well, written answer. Like the yearning in your words. well done.

    ReplyDelete
  23. This is so beautiful...... I loved it! :D

    ReplyDelete
  24. absence makes the heart grow fonder.... I don't know who said that, but it's so true. And the opposite is..... so ... opposite! I mean we need that break every once in a while, we have to break that routine, that same-ole same-ole..... Get out, take a walk on the beach, come back later and knock on the door again.... Or in my world take separate vacations! LOL! It does a world of wonders... But in the very least you just captured life in it's raw essence here, dear Heaven... good poetry!

    ReplyDelete
  25. This is a sad song indeed, being a hopeless romantic and someone who has a hard time letting go (damn those interminable voices) this hits a nerve for me. Sometimes wish I was the strong and independent one, but the harder I try, the worse I get. I guess I am who I am....maybe its time to embrace that. great job grace...wonderful writing.

    ReplyDelete
  26. "a fraction of lemon leaf"
    and also
    "arching feet in foamy sands"
    are both such satisfying sentences...if that makes sense.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love this, Grace. I'm pretty fond of Neruda also, he has such a subtle way of shoveling out emotion. Love the ending and the longing in the comfort of a shadow.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wow! this was phenomenal Grace--loved that"fraction of a lemon leaf" and the ending--really fine writing :-)

    ReplyDelete
  29. One icon on my desktop is a link to writings of Neruda.
    ...and this, your writing is of countless numbers of peeps.
    Our decisions--some poor ones--live with us forever.

    We can begin anew, very day is a new one. Knock, knock!

    PEACE, Grace!
    Steve E

    ReplyDelete
  30. inspiring this is. there is something so courageous about staying.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Good for her! Stay on! There are lots to share. Nicely Heaven!

    Hank

    ReplyDelete
  32. This is beautiful & written in the spirit of a Neruda Poem...evocative & lovely :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Grace,
    Loved the wonderful music and rhythm of this...the metaphor of the lemon is exquisite, and the ending held such finality. Excellent piece.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Has the wonderful urgency and painful feeling of reconciliation. K.

    ReplyDelete
  35. What a beautiful story tinged with a hint of sadness ~ I could feel the loss so desperate to be reprieved

    ReplyDelete
  36. I know Pablo Neruda influences some of what you write. But that's because you already have a poet's soul, and your love poems connect with something familiar in all our hearts.

    I really like this one. It is full of feeling.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I enjoy Neruda and am happy to read how he inspires your work. Awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  38. All the words have been said, I can only repeat that this is a very special poem. Of all the lines, this one resonates the most with me "even your shadows comfort me"

    ReplyDelete
  39. Lovely, Heaven! So many beautiful words and I feel the wonderful sinking feeling of surrender :-) Thank you!!
    -Eva

    ReplyDelete
  40. "i have come as one who cries at every moonrise" when I read this line, I thought immediately of Neruda, A deeply inspiring poet. This is a beautiful poem

    ReplyDelete
  41. I'd have to say this is one of my favorite of yours...and I love Neruda's poetry as well.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I feel the influence of Neruda in this...just exquisite!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your visit and comments ~ I appreciate them ~