Sunday, November 16, 2008

Another Cool Poem

Here is the poem that inspired the address for this blog. Another one by David Whyte. (Note: The lack of a space between two words in the title is not a mistake. Hmmmmm . . .) Can you find the line that the blog address comes from? ;-)



THE TRUELOVE


There is a faith in loving fiercely
the one who is rightfully yours,
especially if you have
waited years and especially
if part of you never believed
you could deserve this
loved and beckoning hand
held out to you this way.


I am thinking of faith now
and the testaments of loneliness
and what we feel we are
worthy of in this world.


Years ago in hte Hebrides,
I remember an old man
who walked every morning
on the grey stones
to the shore of baying seals,


who would press his hat
to his chest in hte blustering
salt wind and say his prayer
to the turbulent Jesus
hidden in the water,


and I think of the story
of the storm and everyone
waking and seeing
the distant,
yet familiar figure,
far across the water
calling to them,


and how we are all
waiting for that
abrupt waking,
and that calling,
and that moment
we have to say yes,
except, it will
not come so grandly,
so Biblically,
but more subtly
and intimately, in the face
of the one you know
you have to love.


So that when
we finally step out of the boat
toward them, we find
everything holds
us, and everything confirms
our courage, and if you wanted
to drown you could,
but you don't,


because finally
after all this struggle
and all these years,
you don't want to any more,
you've simply had enough
of drowning,
and you want to live and you
want to love and you will
walk across any territory
and any darkness,
however fluid and however
dangerous, to take the
one hand you know
belongs in yours.

~ David Whyte


I know what this poem means to me, but I want to know what it means to you. Let me know!

3 comments:

Raven said...

i see all the like, meaning behind this poem.
and i love poetry, but i think that its more of like, i short story :]

i like how he makes an image in your head.

im not sure what this poem means to me personally

O.o Corey o.O said...

I love how the title doesn't have the space between true and love, almsot like the truth might be love, and how is the second to last segment, you says, you could drown if you wanted to, but you dont.

Really makes you think about...well...everything really.

Cathryn E. Lokey said...

He does make you think a lot! That's why I love his poetry. David Whyte was a naturalist before he became a poet, so he uses a lot of images from nature to, as you said it Raven, tell a short story about what is going on inside a person. Cory, I also love that there isn't a space between true and love in the title. He makes it into a noun instead of a noun with an adjective describing it. It's brilliant really--

Thanks for your comments! Keep 'em coming! :-)