Thursday, February 4, 2010

Entrance by Dana Gioia and Entrance by Rainer Maria Rilke

Moon & Tree by Marion

"Interrogations at Noon" by Dana Gioia

Entrance
By Dana Gioia

Whoever you are: step out of doors tonight,
Out of the room that lets you feel secure.
Infinity is open to your sight.
Whoever you are.
With eyes that have forgotten how to see
From viewing things already too well-known,
Lift up into the dark a huge, black tree
And put it in the heavens: tall, alone.
And you have made the world and all you see.
It ripens like the words still in your mouth.
And when at last you comprehend its truth,
Then close your eyes and gently set it free.

(After Rilke)

from: Interrogations at Noon, 2001

*********************************************

Entrance
by Rainer Maria Rilke

Whovever you are: step out in to the evening
out of your living room, where everything is so known;
your house stands as the last thing before great space:
Whoever you are.
With your eyes, which in their fatigue can just barely
free themselves from the worn-out thresholds,
very slowly, lift a single black tree
and place it against the sky, slender and alone.
With this you have made the world. And it is large
and like a word that is still ripening in silence.
And, just as your will grasps their meaning,
they in turn will let go, delicately, of your eyes . . .

********************************************
I always enjoy reading poems that other poets have written, inspired by another poet's poem.  (Did that make sense?)  This poem by Ms. Gioia is one of my favorites. 

It's a dreary, rainy day here in the swamps, but we're all looking forward to seeing our New Orleans Saints play in the Super Bowl on Sunday.  The entire state has gone Saints crazy.  It's fabulous and fun.  I'm in a winter funk.  I think I need to color my hair and get it trimmed to cheer me up. 

I'd like to ask you all to pray for my precious friend, Renee, today.  She lost her beloved mother after a long battle with cancer. 

Love & Blessings,

~*~Marion~*~

****************************************

"For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?" ~Kahlil Gibran, from "The Prophet", On Death

___________________

All say, "How hard it is that we have to die" - a strange complaint to come from the mouths of people who have had to live. ~Mark Twain

17 comments:

GYPSYWOMAN said...

love love these works!!! some of my fave writers - and now, to check out these fantastic goodies over in your sidebar! so much to read! and then more! but is too much ever enough! anyway, love your post, lady!

one of my daughters here is headed home to louisiana this weekend - and i'll be buzzin' down in late march/early april for an extended visit!! can hardly wait! i'll be there to see the redbud trees with baby blooms and daffodils and azaleas and smell all their perfumes and then all that wonderful green grass everywhere! - and a big city - culture - the works! and, it's LOUISIANA!! yea!!!

Marion said...

Gypsy, I'm glad you enjoyed the poems. Yes, so many fabulous books and so little time to read them. I have to say two of my favorite books in the sidebar are the sumptuous anthologies, "The Best American Erotic Poems" and "Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times". Those two books have turned me on to countless fabulous new poets. I hope you have a great trip home. Be sure to check out the pink and white Dogwoods, too. Blessings!!

angela recada said...

I adore Rilke, and Ms. Gioia's homage to his poem is truly wonderful. Thank you for posting these little gems here for us. I'd never learn about these wonderful poets if you didn't.

Kahlil Gibran's quote sent shivers down my spine. The image he conjures up is amazing.

I hope the big game goes your way on Sunday!

Hugs,
xo
Angela

Kelly said...

I'm not sure which of the I like better.... I'm thinking the first.

We're getting drenched from all the rain, too. Oh, and would you believe there was an ad for your area's Mardi Gras celebration in our local paper??

Marion said...

Angela, I'm glad you enjoyed the poems. Yes, Gibran was such an amazing writer. I've yet to find his equal in matters of the heart! I hope the game goes our way, too. LOL! Blessings!

Kelly, I think I'm starting to mildew it's been raining so long! My yard is truly a mushy swamp, almost like a lake. Sigh. I hear a rumor that the rain is to leave us tomorrow. Oh, yeah, we have a HUGE Mardi Gras celebration and parade here in our area. I quit parades after Sarah graduated from college. She was in so many, I got burned out. LOL! We seen Mardi Gras in The Big Easy in the 1970's and that was enough to last me a lifetime. Blessings!

Kay said...

they are so simular, i ask, inspired? hmmmm...beautiful nonetheless. sympothies extended to your friend.

Marion said...

Kay, I noticed they are a bit too similar, too. But my husband reads graphic novels and I swear, every plot in those books, almost without fail, are rip-offs of mythology. Poetic license, eh? Thanks for stopping by. Blessings!!

Wine and Words said...

"viewing things already too well-known". This is ourselves really...isn't it. We look in the mirror everyday, live in the skin every moment, and I think we lose ourselves in it. Wish that I could meet myself for the first time and write my first impressions. How would it differ from these old impressions...practically fossils?

I'm sorry you got the blah's Marion. Have some tea. I'll get some too. We'll tip a cup to honor Renee's Mom and pray for peace all around.

Marion said...

Right on, Annie. I've got my tea pot on right now and my Tazo Orange Spice tea at the ready. The clouds are due to leave tomorrow so I can be happy again. Winter gets to me after a while...Yes, I do have compassion for the younger me. She was so awesome and did not know it. It would have been amazing to go back and tell her to chill out! I love you. Blessings!

Snowbrush said...

I'm tempted to deny that anyone who lives THAT far south can even know what the winter blues are, but I'm sure they come in shades rather than on-or-off. I actually saw the sun for several days today for the first time in I don't know how long. You wouldn't believe the winters here--gray and drizzly throughout.

Rick said...

Marion- Like the whoever you are. Maybe me, who knows. if the hair is up for a vote, I vote for red goth streaks. Not kidding. And yes, Rainy's Mom. Damn.
Annie- you can't hide here!
~rick

Marion said...

Snow, but our cold is WET, HUMID and goes clear to the BONE! LOL! Thanks for stopping by. Blessings!

Rick, I already bought the red goth dye a few days ago. No shit. Will keep you posted. ;-)

Unspoken said...

And, just as your will grasps their meaning,
they in turn will let go, delicately, of your eyes .

nice!

Cynthia said...

Hi Marion, I enjoyed both both
and the message they have to
impart to us - very "on time"
for me.

Anyway, I must say your rainy day
play list has put a spell on me!
I wrote down nine songs that will
be be included in a mix CD of my
own, with a about three all time
favorites of mine added in.

Thank you! You have wonderful
taste. That sweet melancholy
sound I adore.

Marion said...

Thanks, Amy. Blessings!

Cynthia, everyone loves my songs. I spent weeks putting together that play list. My kids and grandson keep me up to date on current music. I'm glad you enjoyed your visit. Blessings!

Karen said...

I love them both, and I think it is a great tribute to Rilke.

I love the burgundy hair, but I bet you'd look great with the red goth, too.

I'm rooting for the Saints! Isn't everyone?

Marion said...

Thanks for stopping by, Karen. I think I'm getting my 5th tattoo before I do the goth red hair. One must have priorities. Ahem. LOL!