Day 16: Some Poetry

One of my favorites, by Nina Cassian (translated by Michael Impey and Brian Swann)

Ordeal

I promise to make you more alive than you've ever been.
For the first time you'll see your pores opening
like the gills of fish and you'll hear
the noise of blood in galleries
and feel light gliding on your corneas
like the dragging of a dress across the floor.
For the first time, you'll note gravity's prick
like a thorn in your heel,
and your shoulder blades will hurt from the imperative of wings.
I promise to make you so alive that
the fall of dust on furniture will deafen you,
and you'll feel your eyebrows like two wounds forming
and your memories will seem to begin
with the creation of the world.

And one that I wrote (10.8.2005)

Raw

All the times I wish I'd done or said something meaningful.
All the ways I could have shown you that this is who I am.
We keep moments to ourselves mostly because we are afraid.
Afraid of the intimacy that might ruin everything.
Oh the ways that we mess things up because of fear.
Why can't we let things go?
And live
For just a brief moment
Open our hearts and let the rain of tears fall
Like waterfalls
And make ourselves vulnerable
Because the raw moments are the beautiful ones
They are what make life worth living.
The fear of losing your respect, your love, or whatever it may be
Has actually held me back
From the raw moments.
Raw moments that become a breath of fresh, mountain air
That keep us going.
That keep us more than just surviving.
But cherishing everything that makes us who we are
No matter how raw or real or scary these things may be
Live the raw life.
With excitement for each new day...
With emotions on edge...
That is really living.
To know emotions, to know ourselves, to love, to cry, to laugh, to cherish.
Let go.
Live raw.
Be real.