Wednesday, January 12, 2011

A New Poet by Linda Pastan




A New Poet
By Linda Pastan

Finding a new poet
is like finding a new wildflower
out in the woods. You don't see

its name in the flower books, and
nobody you tell believes
in its odd color or the way

its leaves grow in splayed rows
down the whole length of the page. In fact
the very page smells of spilled

red wine and the mustiness of the sea
on a foggy day - the odor of truth
and of lying.

And the words are so familiar,
so strangely new, words
you almost wrote yourself, if only

in your dreams there had been a pencil
or a pen or even a paintbrush,
if only there had been a flower.

from Heroes In Disguise, 1991

I can't barely recall my life before I met Erin or my Annie, two of my favorite poets/writers/people/friends... Finding a new poet often leads to finding an amazing, sparkling new friend. For sure.

Love & Blessings,
~Marion

"But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away." ~Dinah Craik, A Life for a Life, 1859

10 comments:

Kass said...

This poem is really wonderful. Finding new poets and friends; equally wonderful.

My mom had that Dinah Craik quote on her fridge.

Rosaria Williams said...

A new poet! How interesting.

Wine and Words said...

"the very page smells of spilled
red wine and the mustiness of the sea on a foggy day - the odor of truth and of lying." I LOVE THIS! And an amazing sparkly friend you are...and no longer new, but soft and comfy. Oh Marion, the quote by Dinah makes me re-think things. Speak fearlessly. Maybe I can. *sigh*

Love you!

Woman in a Window said...

I laugh. And what was I before you? I remember you and Rene coming to me. I felt like a girl found alongside a river, bloated and spent. You kinda took me in. You keep teaching me, even now.

Have you gone to that Rilke site, yet? It's been an interesting place, Marion, and the discussion behind it on poetry and life in general. I thought you might like it.

xo
erin

Rick said...

so true
~rick

Kelly said...

Not only did I find a poet in you, but someone to encourage me to love poetry in general.

Thanks!!

* said...

This poem opened to me, like a flower. Thank you for it, and for all of your poetry in motion (and blogland).

Marion said...

I'm so glad y'all like the poem, my poet-friends!

Erin, yes, I'm following on the Rilke site and it's awesome, just like you said. Also, the Rumi site, too. I've been reading and ruminamting. LOL! Thanks for telling me about it. Love & Blessings!

Unspoken said...

Yes, it is true!

Laurie said...

I've always loved that Craik quote! Is Emma with your granddaughter, now?