Saturday, August 22, 2009

Olena Kalytiak Davis - And Her Soul Out of Nothing

The Scaffolding Inside You
By Olena Kalytiak Davis


Your thoughts have hung themselves from nails
like workshirts.


The sky has stopped
offering you reasons to live and your heart is the rock
you threw through each window
of what's deserted you, so you turn
to the burnt out building inside you: the scaffolding
overhead, the fallen beams,
the unsound framework;


according to the blue that's printed on the inside of your arms
you have no plans, no plans
uncovered, or uncovering: the offing is emptying,


the horizon empty


now that your sanity is
a tarp or a bedsheet
in the rough hands of the wind,


now that everything is hooded
in drop cloth.


It didn't happen
overnight. Or maybe it did:


your heart, the rock;
your soul, the Gothic barn.


You've even started envying the flowers their stems.


Will the Norther let up?


Will the moon ever again be so full of itself
that that ragged barn will fill with light, through its tin-covered roof?


You should bury more than the dead.
You should try harder.
You should give up.



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In Defense of Marriage
By Olena Kalytiak Davis


Marry the black horse stuck
Dumb in her humble corral.


Marry the white fences; marry the fenceless
Moon and the defenceless sky.


Marry the feedlot and the threshing
Floor. Like the northern heaven to the southern


Stars, marry the kitchen table, its three strong
Legs. Marry the gate and the small intricate


Cuts on the keys and the view spreading
Outback. The streetlamp


Weds the morning light, like that, take the
Nomad. Promise to forsake. Give in


To the cistern full of asters.
To the way the beloved


Story goes: her body from a bone
And her soul out of nothing.


In a slowly spoiling month find out
You have married the house worn


Blue on the yellowing hill: each of its
Slow budding bedrooms. Marry one or two


Or three varieties of light, in three or four
Different lifetimes. I meant, windows.


Mate, be forsaken.


I married the way moths marry.
I married hard.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


10 comments:

Delwyn said...

Hello Marion

I am going to copy the poems to sit down and mull over...

I am so thrilled Marion - I found a dragon fly...and thought of you...so whipped out my new camera, set it to macro and the gorgeous thing has diamonds on the tips of his wings....

what is that song now in my brain...diamonds on the souls of my shoes...really, is that right Simon and Garfunkl, I think....
you will know...

Happy days

Marion said...

Delwyn, thanks for stopping by. It's Paul Simon who sings "Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes" from his Graceland CD. I love that song! But even more, I'm THRILLED that you've seen a dragonfly!!! Are you near Spring there? I know, with you being on the river, that you probably see many of them in the Spring and Summer. I'm really, really EAGER to see your dragonfly photos soon!! I'm printing out my best ones next week and redecorating an entire wall in our den for my 'bug' pictures. I'm really excited about that. I hope you enjoy the poems. She's one of my favorite poets. I only wish she had more books out. She lives in Alaska. Blessings!!

Opaque said...

Some truly fantastic pieces here! Thanks for sharing!

Karen said...

Hi, Marion. You post the most interesting poetry, and these are no exception. I have to reread these to savor, but wanted to say my thanks for the morning thoughts.

Dragonfly alert - I saw several yesterday for the first time in a while. I, too, thought of you!

Rikkij said...

Marion-wow, that second one is really a twist on an ancient theme. I love original thought to age old dilemnas. On the first one, it's hard to like anything that ends, "you should just give up." How's the garden? Your friend~rick

Renee said...

Marion as for being the first I want to tell you that you were great and you did great. har har Who would have thought that was your first for Canada.

xooxo

quid said...

WOW! What a wonderful new poet!!!

quid

Marion said...

AJ, thanks for stopping by! Aren't her poems just amazing? I only wish she'd write MORE! She only has 2 books out....Blessings!

Karen, so happy you enjoyed these poems. I must BEG everyone to buy her book because it is f'ing AWESOME. Every single poem in it you want to paint on your walls, they're that good! Hugs!

Rick, awww, come on, you know how us moody women are. LIKE THAT FIRST POEM, YOU! LOL! Just kidding. Glad you liked one of 'em. Love, friend of my heart!

Renee, you stole my virginity! LMAO! Love & Blessings!!!

Woman in a Window said...

I'm cold after the first, but then that is the idea, isn't it.

And the second...I'm wondering...am I taking poetry too seriously? I keep looking for this to appear at the beginning of each one, "Erin:"
as though included within were implicit instructions on how I might and should live my life.

OK, the second, tell me, Marion, because I'm afraid I'm caught in a feeling only and not sure my mind has sorted the rest out.

Be well this week!
xo
erin

Marion said...

Erin, you know, I think I pick up these different books and subconsciously choose poems that are for ME and that speak to my spirit, not anyone elses. I did think after I posted that one that you might think I was trying to speak to you, but I'd never, ever try to 'preach' or influence another person that way---that's just not me or my style--- What drew me to it was the house aspect in the latter part and how you and I discussed homes once. Remember? Of course, you do and it just amazed me the way the Universe drew me to that book and that poem. It spoke to my heart in a strong and uplifting, healing way.

Be strong, dearest friend, and know that I love and respect you. Whatever path you choose in this journey called life, I'm behind you 110%. Sending you hugs, love, support and MAJOR Blessings!!!!!