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Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. Leonard Cohen

Monday, December 30, 2013

I Wanted To Say: For Andrea

I wanted to say
that you inspire me
to speak the truth
I wanted to say
that you are so strong
and brave
that you make me feel
strong and brave too
I wanted to say
that I admire
your forthrightness
and your total lack of bullshit
I wanted to say
that your words
are beautiful
and sad
and uncomfortable
and challenging
and meaningful
I wanted to say
that you have opened my mind
and my heart
I wanted to say
that I'm a 50 year-old straight woman
wife and mother
who has a wicked crush on you
I wanted to say
that you look a little thin, sweetie
and I'd love to invite you to my place
for pasta and homemade sauce
(bring your adorable dog too!)
I wanted to say
thank you
for reminding me
that words matter
and that poetry is powerful
I wanted to say all that
and more
but when I saw you in person
all I could say was
"Can I give you a hug?"
Thank you
for saying "yes."

submitted for Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, Open Link Monday

14 comments:

Kerry O'Connor said...

I am not familiar with this poet, but reading your poem has inspired me to find out more about the remarkable woman you describe.

Brian Miller said...

smiles...so did you actually meet them? all the things you would have said, i think they probably got in the hug...smiles.

Vandana Sharma said...

Such a nice dedication and inspiration.

Anonymous said...

great reading, and a warm tribute ~

revelations said...

heart felt tribute...which came through with a great penning of words...

Karen said...

So many things we want to say, wish we had said, wish we could say! Sometimes, even for word persons, words are too much.

Laura said...

what a beautiful tribute!

humbird said...

The soul indeed is so much bigger than body...

Fireblossom said...

Words matter. So do readers/listeners.

Margaret said...

@ 2:15 for about a minute is my favorite. It really is emotionally heavy (the video) Yours is more of a celebration - a thank you. I loved it.

Pealogic said...

Such a great read, typical of what I would do too. So funny. Thanks for this
Ciao
Pea

Anonymous said...

There is an imaginal picture that forms in our heads as we encounter another through their words -- a tide of rising sympathy that is always challenged by the rare in-the-flesh encounter. Who this other poet is is not as important to readers of the poem as the faithfulness to the experience. How fitting the closing encounter is so simple. Just like life.

BB said...

Absolutely beautiful!

Maude Lynn said...

This is really cool!