Anais Nin
A few of my Anais Nin books.
Anais Nin was a prolific diarist and writer born February 21, 1903. She is one of my favorite authors of all time and I wrote this little prose poem a few years back in her honor. (Her name is pronounced "ana-eese neen"). I first read her diaries in the 1970's and they totally transformed me. She was one of the first women I read about who had the courage to create her own life, like a fine painting. If you haven't read her diaries, then I highly recommend them, both the edited and the unedited versions. They're a glimpse into the heart and soul of a creative, fearless woman. Also, the movie, "Henry and June" is purely amazing and follows the first edited diary. Uma Thurman as Henry's second wife, June, stole the movie...
"We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection." ~Anais Nin
To Anais Nin on Her Birthday
I was hungry for a muse
when you came to me
and fed me,
filling me with your words
expanding my little world
changing me
forever.
when you came to me
and fed me,
filling me with your words
expanding my little world
changing me
forever.
Woman-child, Queen of artifice,
keeper of the gates
of feminine mystery,
I thank you
for having the courage
to have lived your life
as no other woman has
before you
or since.
keeper of the gates
of feminine mystery,
I thank you
for having the courage
to have lived your life
as no other woman has
before you
or since.
~Marion
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Anais Nin, 1940
6 comments:
she lived so well, so boldly, bravely. this is what we want, isn't it, marion? why she draws us?
she lived so well, i wonder how it is that she died. i'll have to look this up.
your tribute speaks volumes as to who you are, i think.
xo
erin
Can't wait to check these writings out! I love your tribute!
Yes, Erin. That's what we want, to live and love boldly. It's easier said than done, though, for some of us. I've always admired Anais's strength and drive. I appreicate you. xo
Ben, you're in for a real treat. The diaries are amazing, filled with history and inspiration. Her fiction is pretty amazing, too. xo
Well I'm thinking about Erin's comment, and yours. Who the hell are we to know if she lived well? Ha! We can write all we want...attempt to level the ground between persons. But there is no such thing. Each of us live within the circumference of our own skin, and what we write can be lie or truth. What we live can be either or. I really only trust a person face to face.
"I was hungry for a muse when you came to me."
Damn I love that line. We could transpose "muse" for anything else we crave and thus finds anchor! Nicely done my Marion!
Love you!
I think she would so appreciate your lovely birthday tribute to her.
xo
She's so incredibly inspiring. I love that she wrote this love letter to her husband once that promised "to use [her] intelligence to find new ways to love." And I just think that's one of the most beautiful, romantic things anyone can ever pledge, don't you think? :)
Thanks for sharing. It's a lovely poem that really illustrates so beautifully why you love her so much.
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