Thursday, April 21, 2011

Sometimes, When the Light by Lisel Mueller

My wooden fence steaming after a hot day, then a cooling thunderstorm. 

 

SOMETIMES, WHEN THE LIGHT

Sometimes, when the light strikes at odd angles
and pulls you back into childhood

and you are passing a crumbling mansion
completely hidden behind old willows

or an empty convent guarded by hemlocks
and giant firs standing hip to hip,

you know again that behind that wall,
under the uncut hair of the willows

something secret is going on,
so marvelous and dangerous

that if you crawled through and saw,
you would die, or be happy forever.

By Lisel Mueller

From:  "Alive Together:  New and Selected Poems" by Lisel Mueller

14 comments:

Wine and Words said...

How lovely....the uncut hair of willows. The secret garden. Holding court at the edge, of...something!!!! Let's find it Marion. We'll leave Ray to tend the cats lest we wind up in the swamp!

* said...

"you know again that behind that wall,
under the uncut hair of the willows

something secret is going on,
so marvelous and dangerous

that if you crawled through and saw,
you would die, or be happy forever."

I've been studying light these past weeks, and marvel, delight in this poem, Marion. Thank you for it, every word!

PS: And your fence picture? Stunning.

Anonymous said...

O sweet ... Mystery always gets down to these packaged proposals, a wrapped gift behind the unseeable which either balms, or banes, or both. Loved it. - Brendan

Kelly said...

Wonderful poem from a wonderful collection (which I own, thanks to your recommendation!).

I love the steam coming off the fence in your photo!

GYPSYWOMAN said...

absolutely LOVE this great piece - oh, yeah, the wonderful wonderland of secrets!!! ;)

thanks so much for sharing this one - and love love your steamin' fence! very neat shot!

audrey said...

Love this poem. Love the mystery of those secret places where we dare not travel.
Easter Blessings, Marion!
♥ audrey

erin said...

your photograph is absolutely perfect for this piece, marion. the photograph shocks my mind. and then the potential of the poem.

xo
erin

Snowbrush said...

What a wonderful poem, Marion.

Anonymous said...

Neat

Janelle Goodwin said...

Love the photo of your wooden fence. And the hauntingly beautiful poem. Happy Easter, Marion.

Margaret Pangert said...

My childhood was filled with fantasies. Anything at all was a path to a magical secret... Enigmatic poem--love it!

GYPSYWOMAN said...

hey lady - just dropping by for a taste of the magnificent music you have here - in the mood for some patty g and angels!!! be still my heart! how i love her voice - i saw her on a televised live concert with robert plant and the band of joy - OMG!!! thanks so much for such wonderful music over this way!!!

Debrah Riddleton said...

My dear Marion:
I miss you so much.
I always take you in my heart.
Excuse my silence, please!
Debrah

Laurie said...

Reading your blog makes me want to drop everything and WRITE!