Tuesday, May 5, 2015




            OLD LOVE

Why do we like to see the night's blanket
tucking in the sun, as it dims sleepily
into dreams dispersed, afraid of the dark,
clinging tenuously to stars?

Because we are the night, you and I
unafraid to challenge the sun's rise
once again, to throw its fiery daggers
on thirsty desert's dry sand where
stillness, defying its burn, still produces flowers.

The night contains the coyote's howl,
the hoot of the owl, the sneak of the snake,
the flight of the bat basking in moon's smile, blessing
us, nightly creatures slowly becoming relics.
Expelled by the world, we go into darkness, anonymous.

There we create our own sun, unseen by most
who can't believe in love's longevity,
because they haven't seen our heart's illumination,
stronger, now that we are the night. 



(Spencer Hayes at Dverse Poets prompts us to write as tribute to a poet who inspired us.  I chose to try writing like Pablo Neruda.)


22 comments:

  1. Wonderful Myrna.. writing in the style of another poets is so great, and you have done extremely well.. the 3rd stanza made me want to be inside... there is a lure of night, but the safe haven of the 4th stanza bring it home.

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  2. Neruda is an excellent poet to emulate! I really like your description of the night,Myrna! I think night gives us all anonymity.

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  3. Hopefully this time,my comment will not disappear. I think you did an amazing job in emulating Neruda. The descriptions of the night and the night creatures deeply touched a note in me. I so enjoy sitting in the darkness at night and listening to them, these night people. And to be able to catch a bat or an owl on the wing is magical. Beautiful, wistful, loving poem.

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  4. the sun is a strong subject to write... nice

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  5. And again, I like your poem and its images very much, Please delete my comments that are repeats. I had some technical problems with posting my comment.

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  6. This has an epic feel to it and that first stanza is utterly inspired. Excellent writing, Myrna! I love the imagery of the night tucking in the sun.

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  7. An old and enduring love, smiles ~ I admire Neruda too ~

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  8. I like how Nature contributes so much to meaning in your poem, Myrna. You must read Pablo Neruda in Spanish and I wonder whether you find the English translation is close enough to his style.

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  9. I really got into Neruda more after seeing THE POSTMAN; a pure romantic--& your poem covers his style nicely. I like the lines /expelled by the world, we go into darkness, anonymous/.

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  10. there's a deep and tender intimacy to this... the one that can only grow over many years... i'm a fan of neruda as well... would love to be able to read him in spanish

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  11. Ah.. yes.. to love the dark of night.. is to love twilight in sunset.. the best.. as to love the dark.. is to better know the light.. with never fear.. of the other side.. of twilight's life..then and now..:)

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  12. Neruda is one of my favourites as well - although we can never be sure that the translation fully conveys the mesmerising beauty of his language. A few arresting images here: 'the night's blanket/ tucking in the sun' and 'stillness, defying its burn, still produces flowers'. The metaphor of love and night and becoming one with nature is so Nerudian and yet you have made it your own - beautiful write!

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  13. I think my comment got lost - just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed this. The sensous lines, the lovers melting into the night, becoming one with nature - Neruda is one of my favourites as well (in fact, in my own poems, he comes close to being the influence for the second one).

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  14. There is a way of letting it out and then balancing it smoothly. It brings out the feel of the Neruda style in short sentences. Wonderful take Myrna!

    Hank

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  15. In Spanish his poetry glides off the tongue so smoothly and encircles the heart and soul in a warm cloak of tenderness.

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  16. We are the night ...and you turn that into a beautiful event. Lovely.

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  17. love the way you describe the movement of various animals...love the "sneak of the snake"

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  18. I love Neruda and you did his style justice... the beauty of the night is brought to the forefront and also how we can easily withdraw in it as well

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  19. Wow! Some beautiful phrases.... "the night's blanket
    tucking in the sun" ..and..."the flight of the bat basking in moon's smile".

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