Saturday, October 11, 2014

PERHAPS ONE MORNING WALKING

Perhaps One Morning Walking

 by Eugenio Montale



(Forse un mattino andando in un’aria di vetro)

Perhaps one morning walking in dry glassy air,
I will turn, I will see the miracle complete:
nothingness at my shoulder, the void behind
me, with a drunkard’s terror.

Then, as on a screen, trees houses hills
will advance swiftly in familiar illusion,
But it will be too late; and I will return, silently,
to men who do not look back, with my secret.


Grace at Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads, has challenged us to use a poem by Eugenio Montale as a model for our own. Among many other accomplishements, he was the 1975 Nobel Prize winner in literature.  The challenge was most interesting and helped me understand why I've never gotten the prize.  The following is mine.  



Perhaps one morning as I walk among desert weeds,
the parting sky will gulp me up
to cosmic gardens never before known by anyone
like me, disolving into blissful colors
fragranced by perfection of a living sea.

Then, I'll be the sky, falling
back to little marble earth becomming big
in my eyes that have seen
what others cannot fathom.


10 comments:

  1. I much prefer your poem. And the aspirations contained in it.

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  2. We may not fathom, but you will be a legend to us nevertheless, those of us who watched the ascension!

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  3. I so enjoy the twist you put on this poem...beautiful and positive...nicely captured!

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  4. I also prefer your poem to the one that inspired it. I especially LOVE "Then, I'll be the sky, falling". Wow!

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  5. This is a beauty Myrna and enjoyed your comments above :)

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  6. I would love to the sky and seeing things that others have not fathom yet ~ Such a lovely perspective of life ~ Hey, after reading his work, I too feel very humble ~

    Thanks for participating with Real Toads and wishing you happy weekend ~

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  7. a living sea...that is a cool line...and i would not mind being engulfed by that....and the thought of being the sky....

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  8. Very inspired.. I hope you come by when you're Stockholm picking up your price :-) I especially like the second stanza with the marble vision of our earth..

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